WordKind: Your Words to Support Suicide Prevention

WordKind logoDo you want to show your support for those around the world who are battling depression, bullying, feelings of isolation or hopelessness? Do you want to help a friend, a relative or a stranger thinking about suicide or self-harm but you don’t quite know how? How about reaching out with words of kindness and encouragement to let them know that they are not alone, that they have people like us who care about them, who value their lives, who are willing to listen without judgment?

Please join me in collecting notes of kindness and encouragement from around the world in WordKind.

Today is the first day of September. September holds a special significance for me. It used to only be about the excitement at the start of the “ber” months, which to me and to many Filipinos signals the start of the Christmas season. Two years ago, September took on a much more somber meaning. On 10 September 2013, a dear friend died by suicide. I learned soon after that September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day.

Last Wednesday, I saw this post on the Facebook page of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) asking if anyone needed suggestions for activities for World Suicide Prevention Day. Like last year, I plan to join IASP’s Cycle Around the Globe and to follow their suggestion to light a candle on September 10. But I wondered if there are any organized activities in the Philippines, especially in Manila. I searched online and found none. I saw that IASP was gathering information about activities from all over the world, including web-based activities. I figured that if I couldn’t join any group activity, I could start a web-based activity that I can share with others.

I believe in the power of words. Words can shape our reality, inspire our spirits and heal our wounds. If there are many others out there like me who are looking for ways to show support for suicide prevention, we can do it through words of kindness published on the Internet. We can put our kind words out there for anyone to read, especially those who need to hear these words, these heartfelt notes of hope and love.

If you believe in the cause of suicide prevention, please consider sharing your words of kindness and encouragement on a new Facebook Page called WordKind, and please share the words with anyone who might need them.  Thank you.

 

 

 

 

Leave a Reply