Until You Can See It

In 2023, 50,000 American families lost a loved one by suicide — more than any year on record. Over 1.7 million men, women, and children were recorded to have attempted suicide. Suicide is now the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. alone.

Like these families, suicide is not a foreign concept to me, and that's probably the case for most of you in this room. Just two months ago, a close friend of mine took his life, at just the age of 16. I firmly believe that every individual should be determined to encourage anyone we encounter to step away from this permanent decision and into the arms of the people who will miss them. This is-

"Until You Can See It"

Arranged By Alexis ********

A compilation of various poems and song lyrics

Dedicated to Liam ******* whose life was taken too soon.

Don't kill yourself today because your Netflix free trial still has a week left.

Don't kill yourself today because no one else will finish off the chicken in the fridge.

Don't kill yourself today because I know for a fact Starbucks is introducing a new Frappuccino sometime next month.

Yes, your mother will miss you.

Yes, your school bully will make a sappy Facebook post about what a wonderful person you... were.

Yes, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, but you know that.

You've known that.

Anyone and everyone has been shoving that down your throat since you first learned what the word "suicide" meant.

I know what you're thinking. How can any of what I'm saying be true when all you can think is "You will never be as good as those other people in your life" and the mirror is telling you it's true?

My words might have lost their meaning but anything that keeps you alive is worth saying, and I need to say it now before it's too late.

So don't kill yourself until you finish your shampoo and conditioner at the same time.

Don't kill yourself until Doctor Who is finally canceled.

Don't kill yourself until you tell someone your best pasta recipe.

Don't kill yourself because I will keep coming up with more reasons and I need you to hear all of them.

You take each comment, each judgment, each opinion, each strange look, each assessment, and with it your self-esteem plummets like a sinking ship, down down down into the dark and dreary depths below.

All you can remember are the years and years of hurting. Years and years of pain.

All those years of emptiness, and all those years of shame.

All those years of anxiety, torment, loneliness, and pushing everyone away.

But Don't. Kill. yourself. I love you.

You are important.

It's a bad day, not a bad life.

There is so much more to this.

The world will keep spinning on its axis without you but think of all the sunrises you'll miss.

Think of all the tears you'll never get to shed.

Think of all the celebrity Twitter fights.

All the puppies and goldfish

Think of all the sunflowers and frozen yogurt flavors.

I know this sounds pointless.

When you're holding back a few tears but really you feel like you are holding back a tsunami of emotion, but you can't let anyone else know what you feel otherwise they will never love you the same way they used to.

When you're sitting in front of everything deadly you own and revising your goodbyes there will be too much darkness to see anything else, but this is not about seeing anything else.

This is about turning off the lights.

This is about finding the bedsheets instead of the noose.

This is about giving yourself just one more day.

Even if it takes 10,000 of those "one more mornings" before you get to "I can't wait for tomorrow!"

This is about staying alive because it's pumpkin season.

This is about staying alive because you never really learned how to make gnocchi... or how to say it.

This is about staying alive because I will miss you and you can't make me live knowing that I will have to remember you longer than I've known you.

This is about staying alive because the future is coming and it is ready for you.

I don't need you to see it.

I just need to believe that you can make it until then.

The voice inside your head is wrong. You are loved, you are precious, you are beautiful, you are talented, you are capable, you are one in seven billion, and most of all YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. You will make it until you can see it.

Sources/Inspiration:

Don't Kill Yourself Today By Hannah Dains

Why Am I Not Good Enough By Olivia Vella

A Poem for a Depressed Friend By Illneas

Narcissist By Lauren Spencer Smith

HOPE By NF