A friend of mine has been involved in suicide awareness for many years because of a friend who took his life. Today, he posted this on his Facebook page:
Yesterday, I was at a customer’s office in Dike and the hatch on my ASI car was open. One of their customers came in to schedule some work and left. Just minutes after he left, he came back in and asked who I was & what I do. He proceeded to say “I’m not nosey, but I seen a bunch of suicide stuff in your car, whats that all about?!” He explained that someone just confided in his wife that they are thinking of taking their own life and she was very shook up about it. So, I gave him materials and some resources to call for help. Life really is all about timing #PeopleHelpingPeople#AliveAndRunningIowa
When I shared this post to my friends, I simply said: “Sometimes, things just happen the right way…….”
Which is how this song just popped up in my life.
This song, Danger is Real by Sister Hazel, was something on their CD title, Light in the Dark, is just a great upbeat, positive song.
Don’t choose to be afraid make a fool of yourself
Don’t choose to be afraid have a chance you might fail
We’ve talked a lot in class during our Leader in Me discussions about how we need to be brave, how we need to take chances, and how we need to fail to move forward! Many of our students are so terrified of looking like fools, that they look like fools! They won’t push forward because of fear and nothing else.
If your heart has a dream don’t bury it
‘Cause the best things in life are the scariests
The question is, how often do we as adults follow our own advice? Do we fall forward or try hard not to fail, playing it safe? Are we risk takers or afraid to fail, just like our students are?
As I look at myself, I’m the guy who plays it safe. I’m terrified of failure, and don’t do it well. But looking at Leader in Me, the Seven Habits, and listening to this stupid song about a dozen times today, I see how I’m trying to break out of that shell. I’m trying to be a better teacher, a better husband, and a better father. Being present, being aware, and simply being are all part of it.
Don’t choose to be afraid there are lessons in our tears
Don’t choose to be afraid of anything but fear
Fear is paralyzing. I know. But we can overcome it. We can help our students to overcome it. After all: Fear is a choice……
The Life of a Conflicted Teacher 
October 9, 2018 at 9:46 pm
My father committed suicide. I am glad your friend could help someone. We can all help just by being brave enough to be a friend. Doesn’t always save people, but then again it still does in a way. I think so anyway.
October 10, 2018 at 4:32 pm
He was in the right place and the right time, and I think that’s happened more than once for him. The organization he and a friend founded, Alive and Running, put on a 5-K race every year. The outpouring of love, emotion, and humanity shows that we could do with more people being friends to each other, to support those who are hurting and helping those in need. In the end, this is what our spirit tells us to do. Sometimes, we just don’t listen. Thank you for your heartfelt comment.
October 10, 2018 at 4:27 am
You are so brave. You put yourself out here in honesty week after week and I imagine day after day in so many ways. Our risk doesn’t have to be big and our attempts don’t have to be dramatic. Here’s to giving it a go today.
October 10, 2018 at 4:26 pm
Your comments always make me smile. And I agree, our risk doesn’t need to be big, the attempts dramatic, but the fact we are “giving it a go” is the celebration! 🙂
October 10, 2018 at 7:54 pm
“Fear is paralyzing. Fear is a choice.” That would make a great poster to hang in every classroom. Thanks for sharing this today. 🙂