Suicide leaves behind sorrow

So much sorrow is left behind when one person chooses to escape this world to become free of their anguish, if life is not happening according to their dreams. Or it could be a human weakness in their minds that even they do not understand.

There have been so many suicides recently. It is overwhelming for us still here to comprehend.

I believe that if any person contemplating this method of leaving the world were to look at their whole life, from when they were born, and observe the tiny dot in this long lifeline where there was a disturbance, it would brings a new perspective of just how small the tragedy in their life really is.

It's the perspective more than anything. We can easily focus on the present anxiety of a change that was not expected, not knowing this change was meant to happen to take you to a better part of your life that is yet to come.

It is the “I don't know” that is the constant mystery in our life, and that is when we need to trust the Great Spirit to guide us. It is living through these difficult times that empowers us, and we realize it wasn't as hard as our minds imagined.

To flow with life's changes, as the ocean waves washing to shore, is where we will find balance in our lives.

As for me, seven years after my husband took his own life, I have walked through this unbearable sorrow with my friends and family. It was my choice to fight for myself that helped me find my way again.

It is for all of us to recognize we do have to fight for ourselves in this world, because our lessons don't always come easy.

If you think your life is too difficult to bear, talk to a soldier, a person with MS, a blind person, etc., and they will tell you their stories.

Pamela Whittington

Glenwood Springs

Disagreeing with Talbott on liberals

I am writing in regards to Ross Talbotts' July 12 column. Let me address just two sentences.

First, he writes: “If our country slams into bankruptcy, all the other issues such as border security and that three-letter word Vice-President Biden used, ‘jobs,' will become irrelevant.” Maybe us “Dependents” count differently, but ‘jobs' has four letters.

He later went on to say, in an extremely divisive manner: “it is the conservatives that produce gasoline. It's conservatives that build factories that produce jobs.

“It's conservatives that plow the land and produce food. It's conservatives that build apartment houses and regular houses. It's conservatives that manufacture the necessary products. It's conservatives that equip the military that preserves your freedom.”

Has Mr. Talbott ever interacted with people of a different point of view? Does he know any liberals at all, or is he just parroting hateful talking points?

In case he doesn't know, not all liberals are welfare bums. Some even have jobs. I knew several when I was in the military. There are liberal home builders and even many liberal farmers.

Just because someone doesn't agree with him does not make them a liberal. Mr. Talbott is expressing intolerant, extremist views.

Also, it must be said, loud and clear, “liberal” is not a bad word, and it is OK to be liberal.

As a self-identified Christian, why doesn't Mr. Talbott realize Christ was liberal? Jesus talked a lot about the poor (welfare bums), but he never mentioned cutting the taxes on the wealthy. On the other hand Jesus said, once or twice, that the rich should spend all their wealth on the poor. Funny thing is, Jesus was a liberal home building transient, not a money changer.

Dan Bokenko

Glenwood Springs