Expanding the Circles of Love: Praying for Healing On All Levels After a Loss of a Loved One or Other Challenge

While the expected age in first world countries like America is up there for both men and women...a very disturbing reality is that many youth are struggling.

What makes the news headlines after many devastating stories of struggle and some fatalities to opioid overdoses or DUIs, driving under the influence, can become strangely a new 'almost comprehensible' normal...

The shock is still searing and horrible, but somehow 'it's not as unbelievable as it was even a decade or so ago' for some of us in small towns..where really nothing much like that happens compared to before drunk driving wasn't against the law. Youth seem to have so many more options and tons of support... programs for all sorts of problems that many people never spoke about.

But still there's plenty of heartache and confusion..and downward spirals whether involving drugs or not. Without a chemical addiction it seems even stranger that some kids could feel 'exiting this earthly existence' is a viable option.

Some warning signs such as not doing well or not caring about school or other regular work or interests, breaking up or being isolated, feeling hopeless and saying so or acting depressed, having said they are considering ending their life and having a plan can all be important to pay attention to as family, friends and othes in their circle. It's tricky with the kind of ups and downs that can be highly stressful for anyone juggling the options and stress in our modern world.

I am not that familiar with the whole reality of having someone close pass in this way other than a few peers over the years.

One was clearly depressed, the other not so much back in college. Then someone who had lung cancer and may have tried to cut his life short to avoid the final stages and losing money---no easy way to assess options.

He had grown children even though he was young at heart. For anyone facing such hardship, all family members and friends should be aware that can raise the risk for depression and feeling that it could be more of an option for themselves according to studies.

We are all connected in more ways than we realize. Sometimes that may result in feeling more despair or less inhibited about following through with something someone we know has done.

None of this is 'natural' to think about, but the idea is to encourage everyone to go easy on oneself and one another. Maybe practical considerations like monitoring plans and access to cars would be reasonable if there are concerns about someone's driving.

Ideally someone would understand and comply with concerns. If not other measures may be appropriate..though I don't know what those would be. The risk of someone hurting others and/or themselves can be high so that needs to be kept in mind as well.

One youth knew he was not to ride with certain people, yet did so when there was a chance. It was intended to be a playful risk even though at high speeds.

Unfortunately that fellow and a friend, two of the four teens in the car, perished. The driver was sentenced to six years. That is one of many cases, so again as much as possible, keeping track of youth in cars is key.

More males of all ages need to check the posted 'speed limits' and not exceed them 'just because they can...'  Check out Mankind Project and similar support groups for Men and www.healingwolf.net.

Thanks for doing what you can to remind one another about these basics and see if someone is open to talking when they may need a listening ear, or even asking for a ride and someone to coach them a little more than not in life whether about relationships, work, lifestyle, managing money or other stuff.

None of it matters much but it all matters a lot to help each other choose to stay in the game of life. Hugs to all as we brave another set of seasons of the year and sharing the earth as team players.