When a life is lost

 This is a picture of a man named Bryan Johnson. I grew up with Bryan. My dad was his scout leader and he was at our home a lot as a teenager along with the other boys. I would watch as he would tease my dad and the other leaders. He was always joking and laughing. His parents still live by mine and he has always stayed in contact with my dad. I spoke to my Dad today and he told me that yesterday Bryan had taken his life. His wife and daughter came home from a trip and found him in the garage. Why did he decide to take his life? I will never know the answer to that, maybe his family will or maybe they won't. He had a wife who loved him, children, grandchildren and a successful business. What was so bad that he thought taking his life was the answer. I am saddened for those that are left behind. My heart hurts for him. I am not a stranger to suicide. Jon and I lost our good friend Jeremy Morse to suicide in 2014. Jon has seen his fellow soldiers take their lives.  I have watched as my daughter Lexi fought the demon of suicide. I once heard Lexi explain to a group of church members that suicide is not an act of selfishness, like everyone says. It is an act of love. She didn't ever consider taking her life because she thought it would be easier for her. She considered taking her life so that I wouldn't worry about her anymore. So her dad wouldn't worry about her anymore or her siblings. She saw it as an answer to lessen the burden she thought she was placing on us. I choose to believe that Bryan and so many others too, have chosen to end their lives not because they are selfish but because they no longer want to hurt those around them. They wanted to make things easier on the ones they loved. I pray that Bryan's family finds the answers that they seek and the peace that they need. I pray that we will find more and more ways to help those that are seeking it. I pray that we will find more and more ways to treat and help those that suffer with mental illness. I pray that more of us will understand and have more compassion for others.