Without the darkness, the light cannot be seen. I think of this often, when it seems Life has dealt me an unfair hand.
I think of my mother, who was twice imprisoned by the Gestapo for her activities in the Belgian Resistance in World War II. Mom died after a nine-year battle with cancer.
My problems pale in comparison to hers.
Her first husband, also a member of the Belgian Resistance, was not so lucky. He was captured by the Germans, thrown into Breendonk Torture Prison and endured unspeakable horrors.
He never broke, never gave up the names of other members. They know this because members of his Resistance group below him were ever caught. He was executed two weeks before D-Day.
My problems pale in comparison to him.
Every day, throughout the world, many people have no food, no shelter, no clean water, no opportunity to escape, no certainty they will be alive come the dawn. They hear the gunfire and screams in the night and wonder if they will be next.
My problems pale in comparison to theirs.
As long as you have your health, you have great wealth.
Get hold of yourself.
Forget suicide, as you have hinted. You will solve nothing. You will escape nothing. Suicides are not well-treated on the other side.
You will also harm those you love, but only for a short time. Life will go on for them. You won't be getting even with them.
Take long walks. Avoid alcohol. Eat healthy foods. I know it sounds trite but you will feel better. Don't expect immediate results, give it a few weeks.
You have value. You have worth. There are people who care about you. You can contribute something to this world. Pay compliments to others; it's the surest way of having others compliment you.
There are far worse roads to travel, my friend. Yours isn't an easy road but it's far from the worst. Think about that.
