ten things, eleven years {5/1/15}
Kelley Clink
Yesterday was the eleventh anniversary of my brother's death. It's hard to believe so many years have passed. It's even harder to believe that he has a niece he will never meet. I want my daughter to know my brother. I want her to know about the childhood we shared, the way Matt made me laugh like no one else. I want her to know about my brother's political passions and love of music. I also want her to know about Matt's bipolar disorder. The years he struggled to find the right treatment. The years he suffered and hid his pain. The thoughts and feelings that lead him to die by suicide.
I can't control my child's thoughts and feelings any more than I could control my brother's. I don't want to. But I do want her to be aware of the ways she can take care of herself. I want her to know that there are many avenues for help if she has suicidal thoughts. Really, the things I want her to know are too vast to list, but in an article I wrote for Woman's Day, I gave it a shot. Click here and let me know what you think.