"No Shortcuts" by ARK

I have had my share of people who told me they wanted to commit suicide. Thank God they are still around.

I always told them not to, because...why would I ever encourage someone to do it? These people are already down, and the reason they are telling you this is because they need your strength. They are running out of energy and are hoping you would share yours. The last thing they need is refusal.

I always said that there are much more in life that they are yet to experience. Giving up is never an option. I assured them that things will get better someday, and all they have to do is survive.

There are things in life that we fight for, and if we quit now, we will never reach them. All of our efforts and sufferings would amount to nothing if we let go of everything. Then everything would have been a waste. Our life would have been meaningless. We would have been nothing but quitters.

But as long as we are alive, we can move and do the things we can to make it right. It's never too late, I know. And I am not sure where this optimism is coming from, but if I ever experience getting suicidal, I hope someone would be optimistic for me too.

And now I am wondering what it would take for me to get suicidal. What would bring me to end this blessed life? I don't know, but I'm doing my part now for those who have reached the edge. Letting people know I care for them, and that at least one person would be sad if they leave this life. I would sometimes approach them and joke: "No taking shortcuts, okay?"

But I am dead serious with this. I don't want them to look for a quicker way of ending things.

I want to be alive when these suicidal people reach the better road. I want to see them laughing again. I would pat them on the shoulder, smile and say "I told you so."