[Alffe]

I've been doing this online suicide thing for so long that I forget...not everyone has been "with me" for 15 years so here's a repeat. *grin

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM!

THERE'S AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM,

IT IS LARGE AND SQUATTING, SO IT IS HARD TO GET AROUND IT.

AND YET WE SQUEEZE BY WITH, "HOW ARE YOU'S?"

AND "I'M FINE'S."

AND A THOUSAND OTHER FORMS OF TRIVIAL CHATTER.

WE TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER.

WE TALK ABOUT OUR WORK.

WE TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE BUT --THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

THERE'S AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

WE ALL KNOW IT IS THERE.

WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE ELEPHANT AS WE TALK TOGETHER.

IT IS CONSTANTLY ON OUR MINDS.

FOR YOU SEE, IT IS A VERY BIG ELEPHANT.

IT HAS HURT US ALL.

BUT WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.


OH PLEASE, SAY HIS NAME,

OH PLEASE, SAY, _______ AGAIN,

OH PLEASE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM,

FOR IF WE TALK ABOUT HIS DEATH,

PERHAPS WE CAN TALK ALSO ABOUT HIS LIFE.

CAN I SAY, ______, TO YOU AND NOT HAVE YOU LOOK AWAY?

FOR IF I CANNOT, THEN YOU ARE LEAVING ME......

ALONE ......

IN A ROOM ......

WITH AN ELEPHANT.

[Alffe]

And of course you fill in the blank with your loved one's name...in my case it would be Michael.

And it is always, all about talking about it. Talking about it is healing and we love to be asked, to hear their names.

And I wonder if I should post about the fish......*grin

[Nik-key]

I have always love the elephant in the room analogy.
Thank you for sharing this ((Alffe))

I first heard it as a child, it was over alcoholism in my family.
My Mom decided to break that silence, and later, stop drinking.
(25 years sober) Very proud of her to this day!! ((MOM))
That elephant, has never been allowed in my family since!

[mistiis]

You have an amazing family Nikki...it gives me hope for mine.

[Alffe]

Bumping up some old threads..

[Alffe]

When a trout rising to a fly gets hooked on a line and finds himself

unable to swim about freely, he begins with a fight which results in

struggles and splashes and sometimes an escape.

Often, of course, the situation is too tough for him.


In the same way the human being struggles with his environment and

with the hooks that catch him. Sometimes he masters his difficulties;

sometimes they are too much for him. His struggles are all that the

world sees and it naturally misunderstands them.

It is hard for a free fish to understand what is happening to a hooked one.


***********

Karl A. Menninger

[Addy]

TIMELY..... thanks (((((Alffeeeeee!!!!))))))
xo