13 Reasons Why

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So, my beautiful wife found another Netflix series to watch.

It's right up her alley...

...high school kids with all of their angst.

She loves those types of shows.

Me?

Not so much.

But I meandered it and caught a few minutes of the dialogue. I had read the book about a year ago.

The book was interesting, but not great. A student kills herself and leaves behind audio tapes of the reason why. The other students have to deal with the guilt.

I hadn't heard much about the book when it was out.

But the Netflix series is getting a lot of press.

People are upset that it has seemed to glamorize suicide. There are folks protesting it because they're afraid that it will give kids ideas.

Suicide has been a weird spot for me. Like millions of others I knew someone who killed himself. A good guy too. He always seemed happy. He had a lot to live for, a couple of kids and a wife.

He also suffered from chronic, extreme back pain.

At 45 years old, he had enough.

For years after he shot himself I struggled to understand why, but I never solved the mystery. In fact, I think of him now and again and I wonder:

Could I have helped?

Could anyone have helped him, or was he doomed to such a fate?

I can see why the show is doing well, but I said what has always been said.

"The book was better."

The entire suicide question will always be a difficult subject to address.

That's also why it's so sad, because the people who loved the victim...

...even the people on the periphery...

...feel guilty.

And it can't truly be handled unless the person actually seeks out help.

I miss my old friend.

I wonder what his life could've been.

A permanent solution to temporary problems.

Hopefully the series doesn't glamorize it...

...because nothing glamorous about it.

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