When it Alteration Finds: On Love, Family and Friendship II

...Why would anyone take their own life? We ask, disgusted. It's cowardice! We judge. Nobody should ever contemplate taking their life, we condemn, in the comfort of our couches at home. But have you ever thought, wondered just for a little while, how far a kind word could go? Have we ever thought really how many times we have pushed people to death because we refused to listen to them?

Listening makes all the difference. The world is tough enough, we need each other to pull through, to survive, to live. When a child places his arm in his mother's to cross the roads, it is because he trusts her protection. The roads seem less dangerous at that moment. But alone, there are thoughts that he might get knocked down by a vehicle. It takes so much courage for him to attempt crossing, he may give up and turn back. Life is a road and we need each other's arms to cross it. As friends, as families, even as mere individuals, we must learn to avail ourselves. Be approachable. We must learn to listen to people. Regardless of the hurt we bear them, forgetting the grievances, everyone deserves a fair hearing. Condemnation only destroys.

Sometimes all the world needs to get it rolling is a little bit of love. 

Think of the biggest tragedies of life, think of religious violence, think of homes falling apart. Perhaps if we had spent one more second listening to each other, embracing our differences, perhaps if we had opened that door, to that woman, to that child, to that man, pleading to be heard, perhaps if, on our own, we had even reached out...perhaps if we did all these, life would be more peaceful. But we don't. Because it is always easier to point fingers...

*to be continued

Read When it Alteration Finds I here: 

http://chijeniewrites.blogspot.com/2015/05/when-it-alteration-finds.html

When it alteration finds...

Growing up, I used to think that family meant blood. You know blood, right? There's no separating it from itself. I used to think that a father doesn't only cheer his children, pride them in everyone's face and shower them with praises. I used to think that he doesn't only provide for them, but that he also cautions. Cautions his children when they go wrong. Spank, spank, if necessary. I didn't think that a father, on finding out that his beloved child robs people, rapes, gambles and even murders, denies him a benefit of doubt. I didn't think that he would slam the door shut to the very face whose forehead he once kissed. I didn't think he could become forever deaf to the incessant sounds of palms banging the door, begging to be held and heard. Where went all the love? Was it a farce?

Now, I seek to understand, what does "ties" really mean? This thing called family and friendship. What does it mean? Embracing me because you think I'm good and dumping me almost as soon? Why are people ever friends, family, if they can't say to each other, "Hey, I heard what you did. You messed up big time" How does one form and break these ties all by themselves? What fate then do we condemn the "bad" to? What if they wallow so because no one ever cared? Because every other person dumped them and moved on? Again, what if they aren't really so bad? What if all they needed was to be heard...but no one ever asked...No one.

And we wonder why people take their own lives...