Let's pay attention!

Life is busy that is how it goes for all of us, work, traffic and our home lives. We try and balance everything but there are only so many hours in a day. We all wear so many different hats in a 24 hour period corporate managers, parents, partners, colleagues, friends and I am sure as much as we all try even if it's to react with an emoji, everyone does their utmost best to check on those we care about the most in life.

However, sometimes there are people who wear big smiles who have kind hearts and yet they faced with the harshest environments that none of us would begin to imagine because they become so good at covering up their pain from the outside world. You wouldn't know that when you stopping seeing them at an event or at the office, they go home to domestic abuse and violence.

After losing a very dear friend this weekend and looking at the frightening statistics I know in my heart nothing I could have done differently would have changed the outcome, all the conversations and all the pleading to trying and seek the help she needed, to get out of the toxic environment she found herself in, short of packing her up and moving her myself could or would have change what has transpired.

It doesn't change the fact that today I am writing this article because I know that I will never be greeted at another event by my friend's beaming smile because this weekend her burdens became to much to bear, her sorrow too heavy and more than one person made her feel so useless , unworthy and unloved that she took her own life.

I'm putting this out there today, because suicide and mental health awareness needs to be highlighted, this was someone's wife, someone's mother and the warning signs were all there but they chose to ignore it.

Today I am going to ask LET'S PAY ATTENTION to someone if they've posted something on their status, or they seem like they not coping even in the workplace, I couldn't save my friend but if her death has taught me anything it is next time I won't just give up on someone so easily. I won't even if I am exhausted not take a call or answer a text because today I feel completely useless like I didn't do my utmost best to save her life, and if I can just raise #Suicideprevention awareness by sharing her story then her death will not have been in vain.

This is an ode to my friend and the countless numbers of victims of GBV and suicide. So that her story does not go unheard and her life was not lost unnecessarily. I want you to know that even though I could not save you I will ensure that your voice is heard long after you are gone. Gone way too soon but you will live on forever in our memories.

#mentalhealthawareness #suicideprevention #helpinghands #gonetoosoon