My friend wants to take his own life. He told me so in as many words. He is hurting so much right now. I said I would miss him and it's true. His pain might end, but I would weep for him. For the rest of my life, whether it be short or long, I would remember him and feel sad. I don't want my friend to commit suicide. I would miss him, and my life would never be the same again.

Talking to him reminded me of another recent event. A few weeks ago, in our town, a teenage girl and her friends wrecked her car in an accident. No one was hurt. Her boyfriend was driving the car. It was late at night and they'd been at a party. He told her how sorry he was, but she screamed at him and walked away to a friend's house. She was upset. Her car was ruined. Her parents would be angry.

Fifteen minutes later, as the boys waited for a tow truck to hook up the car, a drunk driver swerved and hit her boyfriend and his buddy, who were standing behind the guard rail, where it was "safe". The buddy lived. The boyfriend was airlifted to the hospital and died three days later.

That girl is tearing her heart out because of what she said and did. She could not have known she would never see her boyfriend again on this planet. She will never be the same. She is hurting so bad. I think of the boy's family and friends and their grief and cry along with all of them. I wish I could hug her and tell her it will be okay. But it's not okay.


If we live long enough, we all suffer through situations that bring immense emotional pain. Sometimes, life's pain is so great, it doesn't seem worth it. My father told me when I was young, life isn't fair. It isn't, but we need each other, if we are ever going to see it through.

I wish I could take away my friend's pain, the one who wants to end his life, but I can't. All I can do is help him carry his burdens to the foot of the cross. Getting there is hard.

It hurts sometimes and I stumble too, but he ain't heavy --he's my brother.