A friend asked how I survived the events I  wrote about in my book, “Choosing Life.’  Believe me, what I wrote about was the tip of the iceberg.  We’ve all heard about  “a stitch in time saving nine.”  Well, a laugh in time can save your life.  I found a way to laugh at just about anything.  Laughter keeps you from taking yourself and everything else too seriously.

My struggle with the temptation of suicide started at ten years old.  Life was grim, and I was grimmer.  In my book, I tell the story of how God intervened.  Then, my love of reading came to my rescue when I found a poem in high school that spoke to my sense of humor.  It’s by my favorite author, anonymous.

Razors pain you; Rivers are damp;

Acids stain you; and drugs cause cramp.

Guns aren’t lawful; Nooses give;

Gas smells awful; You might as well live.

Suicide no longer has a place in my life, but I know there are many people out there struggling.  And it is a serious issue.  My advice is to look up.  Take your eyes off yourself and your trouble and look to Heaven.  The God of the Universe is waiting for you to call on Him.  He will never let you down, no matter how many others have.  Remember, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.  My favorite line: “This, too, shall pass.”