13 Reasons...

What if I told you, you were a murderer?

You’d probably ask me who you killed, or laugh in shock.

But I wouldn’t be laughing, I wouldn’t be smiling.

I would simply turn to you and say. “You are a murderer.”

And I know this because... you murdered me.

Well…

Maybe you didn’t murder me, maybe you murdered somebody else…

But nonetheless, deep down, we’re all murderers.

We’ve all killed someone.

We’ve all broken someone’s spirit. Left them to die by stabbing them with our words or shot them with our actions.

We’ve all forsaken humanity… and given people reasons to kill themselves, silence themselves, murder their spirits.

We’ve all taken the knife we thought someone stabbed us in the back with, and slit their throat with it.

At least I know I have.

See, I realized during my time here on earth, that people are complex subjects.

I learned that the world is an oxymoron of things, emotions, and circumstances.

The world can be cruel and kind, giving and withholding, good and evil.

And with all of the circumstances, emotions, and human interactions that impact our lives, and the lives of others, things get complicated.

Rarely do we want to take the time to see the darkness within us, because we are usually too busy pointing it out in other people.

But, if you’ve seen the series, or read the book Thirteen Reasons Why, this metaphor may resonate with you.

We’ve all been someone else’s tape.

We’ve all given people reasons to kill themselves.

Not their actual body… but their spirits.

And when we do this, we don’t just become a mean girl or a bully.

We become killers.

Some of us, have multiple offenses.

Doesn’t that worry you?

And I’m sure we don’t mean to do it. (and I’m sure sometimes we do)

Sometimes it’s the rumors we spread. How we take someone’s words and twist them up so much that by the time the next day rolls around, half of our campus knows “something” (Which usually isn’t the truth.)

Sometimes it’s how we treat people like they are lesser than based on what they wear, who they hang out with, or what organization they associate with.

Sometimes, it’s how we talk to people… it’s the assumptions we make, the looks we give, the way we ignore those we find “irrelevant”.

And Sometimes, it’s the way we abandon people. We leave people behind, “upgrade” friends, and trade out one bond for another.

At first, you think that stuff is nothing.

Life happens, people change, big deal, get over it.

You think those things can’t hurt people.

But, they do. A lot.

And we disguise our evilness and cruelty with laughter from our peers and use the excuse that other people are “too sensitive.”

But we know that’s a lie.

Because we’ve watched as our own spirits have died.

We’ve watched others crush us, and then move on as if nothing has happened.

So, sure, maybe some people need thirteen reasons why they should die spiritually or physically.

But for some people, they only need one.

And for some people, that reason is you. (or me)

And I doubt you want to be that reason.

Be the help, the friend, the light that they often get told don’t exist.

Because in the grand scheme of things, the people we dislike, the people we hate, we probably don’t even remember why anymore.

We spend eternities disliking other people because of what someone else said, because someone else told us to, because a friend of a friend of a friend doesn’t like them.

And what sense does that make?

I’m telling you now, let that go.

I've watched people, who don't even know me, tear me down behind my back and smile in front of my face. And if you ask them why, it's all because someone "said something."

I won't name my murderers, because I've forgiven them.

But they do exist.

But I know I've murdered some people myself, and hopefully they'll forgive me too.

I know we’ve all been someone's reason to die.

But now, now, be someone’s reason to live.

Because trust me, when you look back at every interaction you've had, every person you've watched die...

You’ll never want to hear...

“Welcome To Your Tape.”

Peace & Love, D