Living, Loving
Good Grief
By David Coy
Last article, we talked about the increase in violence against other individuals in our human race, violence not to preserve life but to take it. How much grief as a nation should we be experiencing as we see the too numerous killings of fellow human beings? Where has our reverence for human life gone? Where has our sorrow for the loss of a fellow human being departed to? Sadly, this is not our only reason to grieve. Life is precious, and far too many precious souls feel no hope in their lives and feel compelled to die by suicide. A 30% increase in the last 20 years declares a mental health crisis that we are too largely ignoring. Related to this also is a sharp increase in depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. Those who are middle age are at the highest risk; then, the elderly, followed by Native Americans and Native Alaskans. According to studies, there is a relation between mood disorders and suicide with an increase in both. There also is a relation between suicide and opioid overdose. We are in a full-blown health crisis with our mental health and our physical health. This must be causing a great deal of grief in our society, which we do not like to talk about.
What should and can we do about this? Here are my suggestions. Let’s talk. We need to be willing to have a conversation about these topics. Mental health, substance use, physical health, death, dying and grief (including suicide). We can begin by showing we care about one another in our families and in our communities. We have become so self-absorbed that we do not notice people around us and do not connect with them in a meaningful way unless it somehow benefits us first. A Christian principle we would do well to emulate is Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another with mutual love, in honor preferring one another.” Call David at 879-6284.
