This Won't Hurt

Today I was introduced to the works and life of a journalist named Hunter S. Thompson via a nationally syndicated radio show. The short segment interviewed the late journalist's wife who spoke candidly about her husband's death by suicide. Not knowing anything about this individual I did some research that raised thoughts about the person and suicide in general.

Hunter's last known words, titled "Football Season is over", are as follows:

"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun-for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax-This won't hurt."

Thompson is known for being an author of novels, short stories, web publications, and news stories. He was the creator of gonzo journalism and was an outspoken political voice embracing views of Democrats, Libertarians, and Anarchists. He was an avid drug user and was commonly quoted as saying, "it never got weird enough for me". He attained many accomplishments for someone who came from a widowed family and who was raised by an alcoholic mother--A broken home. To sum up the final days of an author who represented the beliefs of many in the 60's and 70's, he committed suicide.

It's hard to explain, and it may be rather rash to express his final days in that manner; but, that was the feeling that resonated in me after researching Hunter S. Thompson. What? He killed himself? In one point of view, I was not a resident of the 60's or early 70's, I am more of a product of such an era and in some ways, a victim to it. I also don't subscribe to many of his beliefs. Therefore, I do not feel the brotherhood that the hippy generation might feel within this person. In any manner however, I can understand the affect of one's legacy ending in forcible self termination. The affect of such an act raises questions about the validity of a person's existence and what they represented because they gave it all up with one shotgun blast to the head. Just because life wasn't fun anymore. Wasn't the beliefs of this person worth living for?

Hunter's wife and children, according to his wife's comments on this morning's radio show segment, disagreed with his decision. And why wouldn't she? The loss of a loved one hurts. Suicide can't only be defined as the easy way out. That's too simple of a description and it's not deep enough. There's always a cost to every decision and Hunter's family, friend's, and generation lost something when he committed suicide. I'm not shallow enough to believe that all of Thompson's accomplishments were negated with his death, but one has to ponder the cost of such actions.

One should not give up on life because it itself is a gift. Our creator, knowing us before we were born, designed each individual for a purpose and we must not make his work be in vein. If you are contemplating your existence, ask the one who created you for answers. Jesus, the son of God, will shine his light upon you and you will gain wisdom about his everlasting to everlasting. Your life, although it may be tough or boring, has a purpose. If you think about it, your life is a small percentage to that of an eternity.

Growing up, a neighbor kid committed suicide over the loss of a girlfriend. Like Hunter S. Thompson, my neighbor was missed. I don't proceed to know the current state of their souls but I don't think suicide has a good outcome. It is indeed a murder. The best that we can do for those who have taken their own lives is to pray for them.