Recently I came across a quote, I don't know who it is by or remember where I saw it; however it spoke to me. Here it is, "turn your wounds into wisdom".

Digging deeper into this quote one can come to find that the instructions are right there, there's no hidden message it is plane and simple that whatever has wounded you, you turn into a lesson or in other words, wisdom. This is where I feel connected to this phrase particularly rather than "what doesn't kill makes you stronger" and I'll tell you why. What doesn't kill you does not always mean it'll make you stronger, it could break you down into pieces, it could break your heart, it could make you feel weak and helpless UNLESS you take whatever wound that has occurred and LEARN.

What I am getting at here is that on this beautiful planet of ours, in this life of our very own, we get hurt. We get hurt so badly we may not want to leave our house for months or maybe you give up and think happiness is not achievable. I want to reach out and say that whatever wounds you may have they will heal BUT they will only heal if you allow them to. That's where "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is vague. You have to CHOOSE to come out stronger. You have to CHOOSE to move forward, to gain that wisdom and insight.

The point of this article is not just to preach about the meanings of quotes, it's to give awareness. On the topic of fighting for a life filled with wisdom and hope I wanted to bring up something important.

September is suicide awareness month and although I believe everyone should be aware every day. Suicide awareness month is to help educate all individuals on the signs of suicide, how to help, and how to be proactive. If you feel someone you know may need guidance seek out help which could be their parents, a counselor at the school, or talk to the person directly. If there is an emergency, do not hesitate to call 911, better safe than sorry. If you are having suicidal thoughts or need someone to talk to here is a National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255) and if you do not feel comfortable talking on the phone National Alliance of Mental Illness has a texting program all you do is text NAMI to 741-741.

I want to share a wound. I lost someone to suicide. September 2nd, 2015 I got a call telling me that I had lost my cousin, he had taken his life. The overwhelming pain was near unbearable, even worse incomprehensible. Why did one of the most kind hearted and loving people I know take away their own life? I will never know. With a lot of cases people don't notice or realize that someone may be suicidal because they think they are just going through teenage emotions, is dramatic, or even that they are just a quiet person. I felt like I should have known to help and that I couldn't have been so blind to see my cousin was in pain but I was. Reality check is I couldn't have known what was going on in his head. The hardest thing to accept is that we really may not have a clue and there is nothing you can do about that. You never know what is going on in another persons life. The only thing you can do is to accept the pain and let the wound heal. I let that wound heal and I now understand how important it is to spread awareness, be open about your feelings, listens to others, and overall be a kind person because you never know how you can impact another's life. That is my wisdom.

For those of you struggling and distancing yourself from help, please listen to the following: There is family, counselors, friends, and groups that want to help if you would let us help. You do not have to feel alone and you do not have to hide your emotions for fear of judgment or pain. Don't let your wounds kill you, let them make you wiser and stronger.

Below is the NAMI website with links to more helpful information.

https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events...