Taken Aback

As the new dawn settles in, there was a commotion in my neighborhood.
People may be hostile around here but they whisper and tiptoe around the slumbering.
Not this morning.
A heavy feeling in the air can be felt and breaths were held.


"Who?"
"The mother!"
"No! One of the children!"
"Whose child?"
"The mother?"
"No!"
"He hanged himself!"

My mother, one of the neighborhood's aunties, was already out exclaiming the news to the thickening crowd.

I remember looking out at the young day's sky as the wail of the mother pierced through the remainder of silence the day was keeping, and the entire household followed. And with every sorrowful sob someone from that little neighborhood of mine is waking up to the news that someone, a person a lot of us know, who we grew up with, took his own life.

I was looking out the window as they carried out his body.
The empty shell.
His body was stiff and the darkness masked the very last expression left on his face.
A gnawing feeling started forming in my stomach. The feeling of loss, a universal feeling some may say, but right now I feel in solitary with this emotion.

I couldn't leave my house.
There are people on the street.
I suppose they couldn't get a cab to take the body to a hospital.
The wailing was louder, heavier; filled with words that could no longer be said and longing that overwhelms the senses.

Deep sighs are heard in my own house.
This is an unusual day.

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My thoughts and prayers are with the family. May the Lord provide them with the comfort they so need right now.

I am an advocate against depression and the stigma it has in our society. It is a disease like cancer that claims lives. And just like cancer, it requires treatment. If you or anyone you know suffer from this illness, do not hesitate and talk to someone. If you suffer from this illness, you may visit this website and seek help. If you are in the Philippines, you may call the following numbers: +63 (02) 8969191 (landline) and +63 917 854 9191 (Mobile phone)