11/09/2025
𝗔 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 "𝗞𝘂𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮"
𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 | Heavy. Scared. Hopeless.
That’s how a senior high school student, who goes by the name “Skittle,” described the days when everything felt heavier and darker. To her, time blurred like the quiet ticking of a grandfather clock, each chime louder than the last, until it became unbearable. Each day was like walking barefoot on a thread of thorns, a slow blaze creeping closer, threatening to consume her whole.
For many, su***de means danger. But for someone standing on the edge of exhaustion, the flames of the product of suicidal thoughts can feel like comfort—strangely warm, almost soothing, like an escape from chaos. Yet deep down, a question lingered: Would she surrender to the fire, or find a way to extinguish it before it burned her completely?
Skittle recalls when the weight first began pressing on her shoulders. “Even as early as elementary, I always had troubling thoughts,” she admitted. But it was during junior high, at the start of quarantine, when the blaze grew stronger. Anxiety and insecurities deepened her silence. “I felt really ugly[…]and because of this, I was mostly isolated from other kids. I only had one or two friends, and even then I felt like a charity case.” Those raw emotions became sparks that fed the fire inside her.
Still, Skittle chose not to let the flames consume her. “I knew these thoughts were wrong and just a product of my life, not the answer to end it,” she explained. What kept her grounded were her friends, whom she calls her “support blocks.” Together, they held one another up, refusing to fall. She also threw herself into projects, finding meaning in becoming a better version of herself.
Now, her message burns with quiet power. “If you see someone looking down, a simple ‘Are you okay?’ makes all the difference,” she shared. “Don’t assume that someone smiling is always happy; they might be struggling inside too. Always be kind, and remember that everyone’s journey is different[…] If you are struggling right now, just know it’s never the end. It’s not the answer, I promise. Your life may feel dark now, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Skittle’s story reminds us that the fight is not carried by one person alone. A small gesture asking “Kamusta?”, or just simply listening can become the hand that pulls someone out of the fire. For those struggling: it’s okay to reach out, to admit that the flames are too strong to put out alone. For those supporting: patience, empathy, and presence matter more than perfect words.
Because in the end, above even our darkest nights, the stars still paint us in shimmering gold. Our souls, though tainted by struggles and scarred by flames, are never beyond healing. Fire may try to burn away our colors, but the canvas of life is not so easily erased. Gold, even when stained by pain, sadness, or struggle—can be repainted, renewed, and restored.
We always have a choice: to let the fire consume us until only ashes remain, or to rise from the embers and keep painting our lives with the shimmering gold we were always meant to be. On World Su***de Prevention Month, may we be reminded to always choose life. May we always choose to shine.
✍ | Lyka Joy Gelig
🖌️ | Pia Factolerin
