If I inherited one million dollars and was instructed to give the entire sum of money to one charity, there would be no
doubt in my mind to which charity I would give the money. I would give the money to the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program.
The following are excerpts from my journal entry on February 28th, 2006 and describe the very reasons why I would
give the entire sum of money to this charity:
"…I know his death isn’t my fault but I can’t help but ask myself: ‘What could I have done,
what should I have done?’ I tried to start the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program last year and it was pushed
aside by someone who kept saying, ‘I’ll look at it.’ I’m certainly not blaming that person because
I should’ve done something more. In the words of [a friend], ‘That sucks.’ And it does, it really
does. What if I would’ve done something more? But I know that life cannot be built on what ifs, but what is, that’s
a different story. We may not be able to bring [him] back but it’s never too late to make a difference in someone’s
life."
"There were some kids on by bus this morning that were just ‘joking around’ about ‘some high school kid
killing himself.’ I just wanted to scream at them and tell them that this is not a joke. This is real and there’s
nothing funny or amusing about suicide."
"I don’t think his suicide would’ve had as big of an impact on my life if the following hadn’t been true.
Two years previous, a much-loved teacher at the middle school I attended committed suicide. The following year and approximately
two months previous to [his] death, a friend of my family and a year of 2003 graduate from the high school I attended committed
suicide. I had just started to get to know some of [his] friends and continued to have a class with one of his best
friends. After [his] death [his friend had] changed to the point that I barely recognized him. I still had an acute sense
of fear, every Friday when class let out, that I wouldn’t see him the next week."
Suicide has had a big impact in my life and I have realized a lot because of it. Not only is life extremely valuable and
I all to often take it for granted, but some people don’t realize that their life, too, is valuable. The Yellow Ribbon
Suicide Prevention Program has provided hope where there appeared to be none. This program has not only made people aware
of the warning signs of suicide, but has provided suggestions of how prevent this tragedy. It has also provided help for the
survivors. Life is the most valuable gift there is. It is for this reason that I would choose to give this sum of money to
the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program. This program has changed my life and given hope to many.
