06/04/2025
This month is Pride month and Menās Health Su***de Awareness too. I realize that one may think one, or the other is not equally important, to celebrate, create awareness, matters less or more than the other. For my dear sweet fam, especially my beautiful and fabulous human beings that I have meet over the years and have the privilege to be in your lifeās and sit at your table, to be heard and accepted it brings me nothing, but honor and joy to be considered your family.
As a person who is also a man, but I want to attract the attention away from something so specific, but create awareness for suicidal prevention and I ask you to be a part of the solution and not the problem. As a person who has some serious highs and lows in life, as has many I have grown to love you matter, and I see you. I get you and have been in that situation and for their spouses, significant others, fam, co workers, parents, teachers, medical professionals, and strangers itās hard to consider someone close to you, that they are struggling so much, or havenāt called, came to visit for you to politely check in with them.
If your heart is pure and your intentions are good, then you can get through to them and be their lifeline, or get them the care they need. I donāt know, if there is even a national suicidal prevention national hotline anymore. I find that sad, so all I ask is if someone says hey can we talk, I am tired, not well, lifeās hard, or just are beaten down or feeling defeated you just ask them is there anything they need? Be persistent on coming over, making plans and ensuring the person struggling shows up, or you leave a note, card, or food on their door step.
I have been grateful for over the years my mom, dad, step mom, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, wife, mother in law, mentors, physicians, medical staff, neighbors, friends, and even strangers for showing kindness, compassion to me, and giving me the care I needed to stay well. For my dear friend and my apartment neighbor and my older sister, also my freaking homie, trouble instigator , guardian angel, when you kept messaging, calling, knocking, and asking someone to help me, I owe my life to you, and my dad for getting me to the hospital and eventually well.
For my LGBTQIA community, I absolutely love and respect you. I am inspired by your bravery, uniqueness, and beautiful kind souls that I constantly ask myself how can a guy like me get this opportunity to do life with these amazing people? When I was really struggling, you always made an effort to keep me up on my therapy and for the last few years requested that I be just me.
Not the person most strangers, co workers, or the public see, but the person my wife and those mentioned fell in love with. They have made me go to places, do things that I was anxious at first, like going to a town in Ohio, then going to a mall and to comic book shop in a he**in epidemic top 50 spot, play out in public, laughing, eating, being ourselves at a local hosting Dungeons and Dragons table top gaming store, really encouraging me to be my own unique self, and have my own interests.
I trust them all with my best friend and universe, Wifee. They make sure she is always included, checks in on her, as we do them, and we all are grateful for each other. I realize right now that life is hard for you, and a lot of things we all take for granted is threatened to be taken away from them.
The thing is though, that their spirit and somehow their willingness to solve a riddle, or puzzle most may find difficult that they come together as one and figure out the solution always. To see that firsthand on a consistent regular basis, it inspires myself to dream big and be my self.
Celebrate what makes me great, donāt let any negative thing, diagnosis, or label define me. Before I meet my fam, I was so reserved, quiet and with their patience and asking the right questions when I am with them, or my wife is they truly make me feel like we matter, care about us, and there is no better feeling when you can just be yourself.
I love you all equally and I am proud to being a mental health warrior and my dear fam call me an Ally. Thank you and my hope is I continue to pay it forward to have the privilege of being a part of your lives. I am forever grateful for the people in the past and present that have made it a personal mission to even though there are days, where I just want to be left alone is, when they just somehow figure out a way to boost my spirits, and keep me on the mission to be the best version of my self.
My hope is that I equally do the same for them too. For those who are struggling and even the tiny thought of su***de, please reach out, get help, and lean on those you trust. If you donāt have some like that, then I extend my comments and Facebook messenger remains public during this month, most of the year, and I am only but a message, phone call, or text away. You matter and you have something beautiful to bring in this world, so donāt lose hope and get help when itās needed.
You could be the next Nobel Prize Winner, Forbeās 500, inspiring actor, poet, writer, solve world hunger, financial burdens, housing, clean water, bring peace to nations, and the world but you got to be here to make that happen. Myself and those who love you are counting on you to be the above and so much more. Your struggle and eventual wellness may give another person hope, or something to hold to and fight another day, so they too can be heroes and celebrated for their beautiful and amazing selves.
