My Survivor’s Perspective
Robert Palasciano
The following story, serves as my constant reminder of what happens when people fail to value human life before monetary wealth. On one particular Friday afternoon in March of 2012, I had a business meeting with a man named Mark. He began to tell me about a client he just saw, whose son-in-law committed suicide during the previous Thanksgiving holiday, leaving his wife and two young children. Mark told me the young man apparently hung himself at his father-in-law’s house, inside the garage.
I could not help think to myself how emotionally distraught this man must have been. How could he feel as though he had nothing more to live for, and with no option or assistance from family, other than to kill himself? Mark went on to describe how the son-in-law was so callous to leave his wife and children, and on Thanksgiving as well. I also learned that the son-in-law was not doing well financially. He asked his father-in-law to borrow $400,000 on his primary residence, so he could buy distressed properties and flip them at a profit.
Mark explained how his client’s son-in-law was so selfish and heartless, that he had the arrogance to leave his wife without a husband, his children without a father, and his father-in-law with a pile of debt. To top it all off, this inconsiderate dead man forever ruined his entire family’s Thanksgiving holiday and acted so cold-heartedly to kill himself in his father-in-law’s house and not his own.
What is the undeniable truth that is clearly missing from this story, and how is it that these people are oblivious to it? A man is dead! His life on this earth is forever over and no one seems to care. So, will the real selfish, heartless, arrogant and cold-blooded people please stand up? Are we so raveled up in our own lives, with our homes, cars, Hi-Definition TV’s and Smartphone’s that we have absolutely gone insane?
When was it, exactly, in the timeline of human existence, that we as a race of humans put objects before other people? It infuriates me, as it should you. This young man who killed himself was in trouble emotionally and needed the support of his family and friends. I do not mean with money but with understanding, compassion, and direction. Someone close to him must have known how emotionally depressed and suicidal he was. Why didn’t someone hold him by the hand and get him help? If he was abusing alcohol or other drugs, why didn’t someone pick him up and bring him to rehabilitation? And most of all, why didn’t someone pick him up and bring him to God?
Regardless of your own particular religion, God is God. You may call Him by another name, but I believe we are praying to the same God. And it is only through Him that we will be healed. Trust me on this, I am His living proof. Of course we should love God first, and then please always place people on the top of your list of priorities, or this might happen to someone you care about.
I am just an ordinary man who has had some extraordinary experiences. I am no more special than you are. I have learned greatly from my experiences, and believe that every one of us has a greater purpose in our lives. Rather than taking all we can get our hands on, we ought to give back to those who need it more than we do. Whether you offer love, friendship, a helping hand, or simply a hug, please consider other people even before you consider yourself, especially strangers. I promise you will become a better and happier person because of it. All you have to do is listen to His signs and then act on them. Remember that knowledge alone is not power. Only knowledge plus action is power. So, do something to make the world around you a better place, and if you have the opportunity, save someone’s life.
It is this perspective that constantly reminds me what is important in my life, other people. We should all remember that God wants us to be better to each other. I believe we should put people much higher on our list of what is important. Once we realize that people are more important than riches and we decide to do something about it, then the world will become a better place. This is my Survivor’s Perspective.
From Anger To Enlightenment, A Survivors Story of Faith
FromAngerToEnlightenment@gmail.com
