oh, random! ~ another death

warning: another somber post. and it also touches on the death issue.

Yesterday, someone I know told me of a relative of his who had just prematurely ended his life.

Young fella, he is. Only 23-25 years old. With a job that he liked, had a supposedly stable relationship, hung around with his friends... And he was part of a close knit family (his relatives, I mean) who practices good kinship. They help one another out through any problems and always made sure everyone is well.

Everyone claimed that he showed no signs of depression or any disposition that may lead to such tragedy.

There was this dark suspicion hanging in the air; about the house that the family was reluctant to reside in, due to a disturbing history of that place. There's no need to elaborate on that issue, just that some believed that something sinister from there might have led to the whole calamity.

It doesn't help that a trip to the fortune teller previously proved to be such a detrimental experience.

Anyway, what happened at the scene of the *crime (I'll get to this later) was something that I would never, ever want to be a part of. One word: TRAUMA.

I'm not sure how his friends who were there with him will ever recover from that fateful night. So unexpected. Everything happened real fast. No time to plead or negotiate. No time to act. In the blink of an eye, something seemed to have snapped.

And he's gone. Just like that. Crazy, isn't it?

And with him, he carried the secret. What? Why??

What happened next seemed like a scene out of CSI. Or more locally, Crime Watch.

And even in death, he was cuffed (with a cable-tie).

Why, you ask?

As quoted from that acquaintance, "Suicide is a crime. In Singapore, you're guilty unless proven innocent."

In this case, unless they prove that foul play is involved, he'll be considered guilty of that crime. Oh, but they'll let the hands go free at the wake. For that's when the investigations are over and the case, closed.

As a follower of Korean news, I've seen way too many suicides happening within their entertainment industry, within that same period. It's disturbing, that they became such high-profile news, especially in a country where the suicide rate is one of the world's highest.

From small wannabes to high profile entertainers, the ended their life way too early, for reasons (most probably) known and unknown.

Such young lives.... gone.

Which reminds me of a school mate who had her life ended in the same manner. And at much fragile age of 15.

Fifteen and already had thoughts of suicide. Imagine the pandemonium in our school then.

I remember, sometime after that schoolmate's departure, a classmate and I made our way to the very place where she spent her last moments.

We took a look at what she could have seen as she made that move. We assumed the exact spot, we imagined her last steps. Her last thoughts. We discussed what could have led her there.

Then we sat somewhere nearby and had a picnic.

Morbid, I know. But we're curious. What could have gone through her mind, then?

And that picnic? It was out of respect. Respect, not for that last choice made. Respect for the friend she had once been. Respect for having been in our lives.

Ok, maybe I shouldn't have called that a picnic. But the mood then was nothing short of merry. For the last thing we wanted when being there was to be solemn. If she had been there (ok, that IS a creepy thought), we had wanted her to know that we, as friends, had wanted the best for everyone. Her included.

If only she had shared her thoughts. Good and bad.

People, look around you. Are you aware of what the person close to you might be capable of?

It's a scary thought isn't it?

In this fast-paced world, let's not get too engrossed in keeping up with everyone's stride. Take time to stop and take a breather, if you need to.

And if possible, ask the people around you, "Are you all right?"

Someone might just appreciate the gesture. And maybe, with that, someone might have a change of mind.

For something better.