I heard the other day, gentle readers, where Colorado rates very high in suicide deaths and most of those are young folks.

Sad for sure. Where would you put the blame if that task was given to you? We live in one of the most beautiful states in the United States of America. There is so much opportunity here not only for young people, but all of us as well. When it comes to just pure enjoyment of the Rocky Mountains or our sports teams or our major colleges, and numerous and various job opportunities, one would think we had it all.

I will jump right into social media and put a lot of the blame for these tragedies at that door step. Kids can occupy themselves with others that they know absolutely nothing about and trust them as if they did know them. Kids will post hurtful things about others that they shouldn’t be doing at all. The “others” fire back and then it can just be a ridiculous war of words until the bottom drops out. Our egos are the most important thing, I think, to the human race. We not only have to be noticed and accepted but at times demand it. The only way some get that recognition is when they take their lives without a lot of thinking about what the end result will be for the survivors. Humans, especially teenagers can be so mean and hateful to one another and I wonder where in the world did they learn that behavior? Do adults, parents and politicians come to mind?

I had a friend who came home from school to find his mother hanging from a rafter in the garage. I owned a triplex of apartments when I was in my early 20s. I rented two of them out and lived in the third. That covered my mortgage. I rented one unit out to two young married kids in their late teens. They fought a lot and one day her parents came by to tell me the boy had killed himself and their daughter would be moving out. I had two brothers that I really liked. They both committed suicide as young successful men and one had a family. Their deaths were but a few years apart then dad could not bear the pain of losing his two sons and he too took his life. It is not a noble thing like some have thought of it. The late, great cowboy actor, Richard Farnsworth had terminal cancer and decided not to go through all of the suffering for the benefit of his loved ones and took his life. I can’t say that I blame him and that is the only time I would offer up my back-handed approval. I think most of the time, if given enough time, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Young folks mostly live from moment to moment and they are just not mature enough to realize what a tragic error they are making when they end their precious life.

For sure we live in a competitive, hurried, “get them before they get you” rat race of an existence. And yes, it lends itself for openings of some radical and unexpected behavior with many times drastic results.

Stay tuned my friends, check yer cinch on occasion, love to live and live to love, hug your babies and hold your spouse like on the first date and I’ll c. y’all, all y’all. ❖