Monday, February 18, 2008

The Bridge

I think the best kind of movies are the ones that stick with you days and maybe even months later. I don't watch movies to have my brain fluffed and folded, I'd rather be disturbed and challenged.

Hey, that should be my tagline! Disturbed and Challenged!

I guess that is why I really recommend The Bridge. My daughter wanted to see it and I must admit, I was intrigued. In 2004, filmmakers set up cameras at the Golden Gate Bridge and got several suicides on film. They then went to the families and friends of the jumpers and learned about their histories and stories.

Yeah, like I said. Disturbed and Challenged.

My brother committed suicide when I was in high school. It's not something that our culture lets you talk about openly. If you've never been close to someone who has committed suicide, you have no idea how cruel all those people around you can be.

Comments made to me while I was in ninth grade upon learning that my brother had committed suicide:

"Wow, he must have been really screwed up"
"Well you know, people that commit suicide are condemmed to burn in hell."
"How did he do it?" (Said with a gleam in the eye and a horrible yearning for all the gory details)

I talk about suicide to my kids. I tell them that there are members of my family that are a little off kilter. I tell them that when a person talks about suicide, they are trying to tell you something, so don't be stupid. I tell them that when a person wants to die, they are unable to save themselves. And I tell them that since they don't understand these things, they need to get help for that person.

I was absolutely incredulous when I heard two different families/friends say that they told their jumper that "You are obligated to me to stay alive. You owe me."

Oh my freakin' God.

If anyone told me that, I would kill myself out of spite.

It is hard to have family and friends with mental illness.

It is hard to have mental illness.

Life is hard.

and so is the alternative.

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