This is a kaddish for too many suicide victims. Since suicide is a contagious disease, and it’s in the headlines again, I think it’s urgent for parents, friends, family, teachers, coaches, and vague acquaintances of young gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer, and questioning folk to be on the alert in coming weeks. LGBTQQ youth are statistically […]
Tag: suicide
My plan was that nobody else would die. Ever. My plan was to leave the death-and-dying biz to someone else; give someone else a turn. My plan was that enough was enough. At least for this year. My plan was that only the elderly die, and that sometimes it’s a blessing and an end to […]
We say that life is fragile. We say it as if we mean it. And then something happens that tells us exactly how fragile it is—how randomly, horribly, mysteriously fragile. Sometimes it’s a stranger.
Tonight’s kaddish, using Mira’s text for a household engulfed in sadness, wishing blessings on the house, is for Amanda Simmons
Tomorrow Mira and I will collaborate live to record a proper Kaddish for Amanda Simmons and the guy who shot them both.
A good friend died this week. He took his own life. We are all shocked and saddened by his passing and we are all asking ourselves – why? Which is to say, we are having the normal human reaction to such an unnecessary loss. I am not going to praise him here, you did not […]
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on suicide
Just when I was feeling all kadished-out. Just when I thought I couldn’t write another thing about death, death and dying, loss, grief, the ones I love, terrible events … Just when I thought that the kaddish project — our kaddish in two-part harmony — had done its job a few months shy of a […]
My ordeal was long ago and I’m fine. For far too many others, this story is today, this story is now, and this story is how they will die.
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a kaddish for those who choose their ends
They offed themselves. Both of them, together. She’s pissed, and devastated, and who wouldn’t be? But I can’t help admiring their decision, even as I share her grief and anger.