This week I learned the importance of not accepting perception as reality. We lost someone to suicide this past week. We lost someone who on the outside, seemed to have it all, yet chose to take their own life. We never knew this person was suffering from depression. Out of respect for the family, I will not go into a lot of details. However, let me just say that just because someone has material wealth, a beautiful marriage and kids, and living the so called ‘American Dream’ does not mean they are not suffering in some way. It can take a lot of time, patience and determination in order to break through the facade of these individuals; virtues of which most have little to spare.

Perception is dangerous in my opinion. It is just too easy to take everything at face value and causes us to be lazy in our relationships with one another. It also places the person who is being perceived at an unfair advantage because the perceptions generally come with unrealistic expectations that are based on ideals that do not really exist. Yes, that is a mouthful, but it is true. We need to stop projecting and begin to focus on everyone’s true attributes. We all have many sides to our personality and for me personally, it is frustrating and annoying to be pigeon-holed into just one single side. Granted, I do not show all sides of me but then again, I am not always able to because it is simply too irritating to try to change one’s warped view of who you are.

I am deeply saddened that this person felt this was their only option. My heart and prayers go out to the family. We all have one demon or another that we are trying to cope with, and therefore I do not believe it would hurt any of us to practice more compassion, empathy and understanding towards each other.

I am sure I will have more to say on this later, once the dust has settled and the wounds are not so fresh. For the time being, work on cherishing all those that cherish you; stop judging and start learning to relate more and stop making ASS-umptions about everyone else. Stop looking only at the surface and stop the false pretenses you maintain with others. We need to work towards more meaningful relationships since we never know what someone else is truly going through.

Until next time, keep those you love very, very close.

~Mara Prose