To you who are troubled today

When you feel lost,

you are not alone. 

I was once like you, feeling so alone in this whole universe.

It's not that I have no family members, just that the one I loved most passed away and I thought no one will ever love me again with that unconditional love.

It's not that you lost your purpose for living. 

It's more of you never know what you live for.

You think you are useless, hopeless, good-for-nothing and everyone will be better off without you.

You feel like you have lost everything and there is nothing more that you want or need.

You think you have tasted enough of life's bitterness.

You think that's what life is all about: agony, tragedy and nothingness

Yet inwardly you are screaming for help.

Just like me.

No one wants to die when life is smooth-sailing.

Remember your own laughter and those beautiful memories?

Now everything seems dark and gloomy like the weather recently.

But have you seen the sun shining?

Like you, I couldn't see.

Tears became my best companion.

As you read this, you may be crying.

Today you cry tears for yourself but one day, you will cry for others.

You will cry tears of joy when you come to know the One who stir your heart for others.

Come out of the house.

Do the things that make you happy, that make you remember that you need to take care of yourself too.

Come out of your world.

See the people out there who are battling issues like you.

You may think you are weak, you cannot care for others.

But that's how I recover.

That's how I remember I'm not in the worst situation.

Your situation will change.

You cannot see it now, just like I could not see it then.

I keep thinking about that Primary 5 schoolboy.

If he could visualize and trust that he could overcome that period of darkness with support, he would not have killed himself.

I grieve with his parents. 

Most parents want the best for their children, doing the best they can, even if it is not the best method.

I think about the two JC students and the NUS-Yale guy who killed themselves.

What would life be like, few years later from now, if they had say no to the voice that pushes them to the brink?

But isn't life a series of gains and losses?

Isn't life supposed to be full of ups and downs?

Are we meant to be happy and successful all the time?

I remember the tears of a father mourning the death of his son who killed himself.

I will never forget the tears of my own elderly father and my siblings at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

I didn't die and so I witnessed the pain, the trauma caused to our loved ones when we hurt ourselves.   
At the door of death yesterday, could I foresee the abundant life today?

You can overcome this.

Seek help today.

Helplines

If you have thoughts of ending your life or are in emotional distress, you can get help from:

Samaritans of Singapore 
(24-hour hotline)

1800-221-4444

Tinkle Friend

1800-2744-788


Singapore Association for Mental Health

1800-283-7019


Care Corner Counselling Centre (in Mandarin)

1800-3535-800

Mental Health Helpline

6389-2222