No matter how big a problem, suicide no solution

Killing yourself transfers an issue to those you leave behind, writes Godfrey Malibe from Acornhoek.

Suicide is one of the most unfortunate means of death. Some people resort to committing suicide when they are faced with life’s problems they think are too much to handle, especially young people.

Contrary to that school of thought, I don’t believe there’s a problem that is too much to handle.

Life is too precious to give up on. There are problems that go hand in hand with life, but they are part of life.

Some are not problems, but just life challenges that need clearly thought out solutions.

Many of our young people lead undisciplined lives. They go out and look for trouble and then they say their problems are impossible to solve and decide to end their lives.

If you lead a disciplined life, you’re likely to stay out of trouble. The wise say “never trouble the trouble before the trouble troubles you”. If you approach life that way, you’ll spare your own life because in Sepedi we also say “gabo lefsega ga go lliwe”, loosely translating to “the family of the coward are unlikely to mourn”.

You may commit suicide and think you have solved the problem, but the problem doesn’t go to the grave with you. It stays with those you leave behind.

They have to live with your problem and the fact that you committed suicide.

Before you kill yourself, think of those you love. Talk to them. Seek professional help because it is always at hand.