Tag: tragedy

Will I ever by happy again? I asked myself this question thousands of times after my mother, Jean, and my two daughters, Jenelle-age 19, and Amy-age 9 were struck and killed by a semi-truck driver who was speeding and reading. I was mired in a state of depression and hopelessness so deep and so strong that I thought the answer to this question would always be "NO."

Before the accident, our family was a happy one.

To one degree or another, most of us are mourning the loss of Robin Williams. His appeal was incredibly far-reaching and almost all of us count one or two (or more) of his movies among our favorites. But for some people this tragedy won’t just result in a passing sense of sadness—celebrity suicides can promote feelings of deep despair in those who are already vulnerable.

Actually, one of two things can happen: all the attention around depression, mental illness, and suicide can lead at-risk people to finally seek help; or two—and this is the dangerous part—it can cause them to lose hope and give up.

Renewal has never been portrayed to me quite as vividly as during my first flying experience aboard a 747 jet. The delayed flight, due to rain, plunged my spirits. Finally, the engines roared to life and I felt myself raised up, until we lifted from earth. Outside the windows, the clouds swallowing me were gray and angry, painting my emotions desolate.

Then, a remarkable thing happened. Suddenly, we burst free of the dark clouds, into glorious sunshine and a sky so blue and clear I could see to infinity. Joy! I’ve never before or since experienced such a mystical example of rising above darkness.