· On Tuesday I saw three daughters say goodbye to their only surviving parent.

· Yesterday I counseled those struggling with suicide, depression, anxiety, and divorce.

· And this morning I read of an old school friend losing his 19-year-old to suicide.

My old school friend says that there were no warning signs to his straight A, son’s suicide. All he can come up with was the extra stress and confusion surrounding COVID-19.

It would be good for all to realize that our loved ones, whether they say anything or not, are struggling. Pay attention to anything that points to them wanting to die, hating their lives, feeling trapped or hopeless, having no purpose, being a burden to others, increasing use of alcohol, acting more anxious, agitated or more reckless than usual, a change in sleeping patterns, feeling isolated, showing rage or revenge or displaying extreme mood swings.

Here are two tools:

• Q, P, R: Question. Persuade. Refer.

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (ESV) — ¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.