deciphering the days

My little sister has always seemed older than her years. Life is very simple to her and even the most complex of situations are black and white -- and she knows she's right. Though usually her insite lacks a comprehensive understanding of circumstances, sometimes her causal comments are worthy of considerable thought. A particularly provoking comment arose while she listened to me stress about staying in contact with relatives and friends. There were phone calls I hadn't returned, emails to which I hadn't replied, and 'thank you' cards that I hadn't mailed. She speaks to me in the fashion of a old sage who is slightly dumbfounded by the young ones lack of understanding. "Sissy...there is always someone else to call." She wasn't referring to my endless list of relatives and friends that were deserving of my attention. She was referring to my relatives and friends -- that they were the 'someone else' who could call me. Her wo...

I know what it's like to be ridiculously depressed and too anxious to breathe. I have also been faced with a situation where I genuinely pondered if I could live with the outcome. I thought to myself, "I now understand how people could kill themselves." I can still understand, but in a very different way. The Kind Father has shown so much mercy to me... My current roommate makes my third friend to express their fantasies of death to me. I have read books and gone to suicide prevention seminars. I have a list of "do's and don't's" for helping suicidal people. I have been told (so many times...) that I am ultimately not responsible for their actions. I have read the Christian articles with the most unhelpful advice of "you just need Jesus" and "being depressed is a choice - so just don't be depressed and read another Bible devotional instead." Thanks for nothing... I have struggled so much (and still do) with how to he...