Life, what is life? Life is just the wait for death and the in between. In the hushed spaces of our lives, where joy often reigns and love flourishes, an unspoken truth lurks some of the fiercest battles are fought in silence. These internal wars, often hidden from view, can lead to tragic outcomes, particularly when it comes to the harrowing reality of suicide. It’s a devastating choice that claims lives and leaves families shattered in its wake.
Take the story of my friend, a bright young man whose laughter could light up any room. To his friends and family, he seemed vibrant and full of life, chasing dreams and sharing joy. But beneath that cheerful facade lay a heart consumed by anxiety and sadness, wrestling with demons that no one could see. Each day was a struggle; every morning felt like lifting a heavy weight. He wore a mask of happiness, concealing an overwhelming inner turmoil.
His family, like countless others, became trapped in the silence that surrounds mental health. They noticed him growing distance, his laughter becoming rare, but they were paralyzed by their love and fear. “He’s just going through a tough time,” they told themselves, hoping things would improve. In their attempt to protect him, they overlooked the signs, unaware that silence can sometimes be a suffocating prison.
In many households, love can inadvertently create barriers.
Families wishing to shield their loved ones from pain often find themselves unwittingly perpetuating a cycle of unexpressed suffering. He was burdened by fears of being a burden herself, afraid of disappointing those he loved. As he internalized his struggles, the walls of silence grew higher, isolating himself from the very support he needed most.
When he made the tragic choice to end his life, it was not just a fleeting moment of despair; it was the culmination of countless silent battles. In that instant, he may have felt a sense of release, believing he was escaping his pain. Yet, he could not foresee the devastating impact his decision would have on his family—a tidal wave of grief and guilt that would engulf them.
His parents, upon discovering the void left by him, were consumed by an unbearable sorrow. They were tormented by unanswerable questions: “How did we not see this?” Each tear shed was a reminder of their love, a love that now felt insufficient. His siblings, too, would bear the heavy burden of that loss, forever changed by the absence of their brother. They would struggle with memories that now felt bittersweet, haunted by echoes of laughter that had faded into silence.
In the wake of his death, the silence surrounding her struggles shattered, forcing his family to confront a heart-wrenching reality. They learned, through unimaginable pain, that love—while powerful—cannot always reach into the depths of despair without open communication.
The very silence they believed would protect her only deepened their own suffering, transforming love into a haunting reminder of what might have been.
These silent battles extend beyond the individual, affecting families and communities. They emphasize the need for vulnerability, urging us to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. Love is not merely the absence of pain; it is the courage to face it together. It involves creating safe spaces where individuals can express their struggles without fear of judgment.
To anyone grappling with deep despair, know that your pain is real, and your struggles are significant. You are not alone in your darkness. And to the families of those enduring silent battles, your love can be a beacon of hope. Open the channels for conversation; reassure your loved ones that it’s okay to seek help. Together, we can illuminate the shadows, dispelling the silence that too often leads to tragedy.
The most profound battles are those waged in silence, but they do not have to be faced alone. We must speak up, listen intently, and love boldly—because through our words and actions, we can guide those lost in darkness. Let us remind them that they are never truly alone, and that hope can emerge even in the bleakest of circumstances. In honouring those we’ve lost, we can cultivate a world where love and open dialogue triumph over silence, where every heart knows it is worthy of being heard.
Similarly, right now, written on these walls are the stories I cannot explain. I don’t know, it feels like I am at a stage in life where I do not know what makes me sad, what makes me happy, what makes me smile or what makes me cry. This stage is idk but kind of emptiness. This stillness, not dark nor bright buys it’s just there. It’s just me being by myself and just being there not even knowing what it is. I ask myself am I too young to feel this way? Who knows if what I feel is exactly now, I feel? I am not able to figure out whether am I too young or time has shown me things ahead of time? Who am I right now? Who do I want to be in future? Who am I to figure it out when I’m only 19? Who am I? What am I supposed to be? Is it what my parents want me to be or is it something the society is expecting me to become? What is my real identity?
To figure something out, you need to explore thing. The hell with it, I am so busy living up so everyone’s expectations, I do not even have time to figure out who I really am? What do I want? What do I feel? There is just so many things I must figure out but where is the time? Do I even need it all figured out in the last year of my teenage? I want to become someone who my current self will look up to and say this is what I wanted and that is just what I achieved. I do not care what the society thinks I became. At the end of the day, I want to become someone who I can see becoming me. I just want happened or is it just an Illusion we are supposed to chase? What do I really need? What is it? There is so much time for me to figure it out, but do I really have time?
All your life you work hard and everything when your last stop in life is death. Eventually everything we do makes us end up in a cemetery.
What did we get from the world when the ones to burn us were the ones who were the closest to you. What is the point of living up to everyone’s expectations when at the end of everyone’s life we face death. Instead of making people happy, try to make yourself happy because at the end of life, it’s the ones closest to us who cremate us and at that point no one, not the society you were living up to, not the friends who you always wanted to be your friend but weren’t, not the one you loved from the deep bottom of the heart but it’s always the people who were happy just by your presence who cry and miss you the most.
Being available for everyone when they need them only adds up to good karma. Where is everyone when you need them? Who is that person who you can call at any time you want, and he/she will be there for you. For me no one. Hiding all this pain under the smile is not easy but I have to do it to make everyone happy but sometimes the question arises what about my happiness? Don’t I deserve happiness? Anyways at the end of the day you have be a little bit selfish and put your needs above everyone’s to be happy but happiness is elusive and it is just an imaginary state of life which most of us enjoy but this is not real.
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