A Long Way Down

I just watched the movie A Long Way Down and if you haven't seen it I recommend it. It gives a look into the lives of four people who on New Years Eve meet on the roof of a building ready to jump. Instead of jumping they all make a pact to wait until Valentine's Day. I really liked the movie because it gives a glimpse into the biggest question when it comes to individuals committing suicide - Why? When people commit suicide their loved ones are left to ask the question as to why they did it. Sometimes the person leaves a note and sometimes not, but no matter what that person writes down on the paper whose to say that's the real reason they ended their life. I don't want to ruin the ending for anyone who plans to watch it, so I won't tell you if they jump or not. What I will tell you is something they say at the end, that a man who survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge said that in the five seconds after he jumped before he hit the water was that the only thing in his life that couldn't be fixed was jumping off that bridge. Being someone who has almost committed suicide I understand that thought completely. Luckily for me I had someone to make me realize that the only thing I couldn't have fixed would have been taking my own life, that someone gave me my five seconds. I think that the why is a big question and maybe even the person who's ready to jump doesn't even know the answer themselves. But if that person is you, I ask you to take those five seconds before you jump and think about it...

Self Evident Truth

I just watched this video and I thought it was necessary to share. If you haven't heard of the http://www.selfevidentproject.com/ you should, it is something that I think could help to break down barriers. In truth it is about so much more than gay individuals, its about all individuals and showing them for what they really are - human beings. We shouldn't be separated into groups based on sexual orientation, race, belief; we are all humans and we deserve equal rights. I'm a straight white christian but that doesn't mean I don't see the struggles of others. A majority of my friends are gay or bisexual, most of them don't believe in a god, and I have witnessed their struggles and listened to their pains and I stand beside them. I was raised seeing a person as a person; no matter their race, beliefs, or sexual orientation. With all that's going on today I think that most people forget that we are all human beings, and those things that define a person shouldn't be what separates them from being a human being. Being gay doesn't suddenly change the fact that you are human and being human you deserve the same rights as everyone else.