Good Rising
Featured in the Dayton Daily News
In March 2015, I wrote an article on depression that ran in the Dayton Daily News. As a Community Contributor who sends essays to the newspaper for consideration, I was pleased that this piece was accepted not only because depression needs to be part of the public discussion, but also I could share my family’s personal story of losing my two brothers to suicide. Shortly thereafter, Sallie Wilson Luther, the local coordinator for the Out Of The Darkness Community Walk, contacted me. She asked me to get involved. The fundraiser, sponsored by the American Federation for Suicide Prevention, is held each year in October to bring awareness to this public health issue. She asked me to join the local team. I said, “yes,” not knowing exactly what I was getting into or how I could help. For the next several months, Sallie invited me to meetings, planning sessions and brainstorming gatherings to facilitate increasing community awareness regarding suicide. Initially, I left most of these meetings feeling sad and heavy-hearted. Hearing the similar stories of others made me feel stuck in my own, calling to heart the still raw remnants of grief. Suicide is not easily reconciled. The people I met, however, exercised courage. Their activism stemmed from their own personal loss of a loved one to suicide. Although inspiring, the burden of “becoming involved” felt too much.
Yet, there was something that kept calling me back. That whisper reminded me the memory of my brothers was propelling, using the best of their spirits to join a collective voice of hope. Also, there was an understanding among those involved. Because they, too, experienced the pain of suicide, the camaraderie of understanding was immediate. .
There is an old adage, “good comes out of everything.” In the case of life catastrophe, good can never match the heartbreak of tragedy. The altered path, however, most assuredly can be filled with goodness and light. It’s what happens when muscles of hope are made strong by the connection with others and shared experience. Many in our community have been touched by suicide. Because I said “yes,” I found myself part of the planning for the SOS Signs of Suicide, a visual arts awareness campaign created by local artists and high school students. The intention was to bring to the open discussion those risk factors, the signs, and the resources for help associated with suicide. The collection of 4x8 ft. panels, painted with color and brush, is complete and exudes beauty and grace in the midst of storytelling regarding the complex issues of depression and suicide. The result is stirring. The K12 and TEJAS Art Gallery is hosting a reception for the SOS (Signs of Suicide) Traveling Exhibition on Friday, January 6, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This is the culmination of those who, despite their sorrow, have joined in creativity to craft this display. The exhibit is scheduled to travel to area high schools, universities, and hospitals over the next year. I invite you to join me in attending the reception to be held at the K12 Gallery on 341 South Jefferson in Dayton. All are welcome. I am so glad I didn’t coil when my own pain resurfaced. My life has been enriched by the friendships born of loss and the inspiration I’ve seen manifested through art. Good really does rise, if you let it. Just say “yes”. I hope to see you there. Please contact Rebecca Sargent for further information. Rebecca@K12tejasgallery.org.