A year ago a very close friend of mine lost her brother to suicide. It was utterly tragic.  He left two sisters, a mother, a wife, four children and countless others with a void that nothing can fill.  My friend still wrangles with the logistical and emotional fall out of her brother's suicide on a daily basis. She hears his voice, sees him in her nightmares and asks him questions she will never get answers to.

This week, another friend lost her brother to suicide.  This too was utterly tragic. A successful businessman, he left a wife, two teenage boys, parents, a brother, a sister, nieces and nephews behind, wondering what happened to the man they loved.

Friend one, who lost her brother last year, and I went to friend two's brother's wake this afternoon.  He was clearly a special person to many, many people.  The line to enter the funeral home was wrapped around the block.  All I could think of was how much heartache was packed into that building full of grieving people.  For friend one, desperate to  support friend two, the building full of grieving people was an ugly reminder of where she stood a year ago.  Her pain was palpable.  The horror in her eyes watching friend two's family do what hers had done a year before was painful to witness.

Two wonderful, Christian women trying to make sense out of the suicide of their brothers.  I don't know very much about the disease of suicide.  I have, however, seen how it shatters families and ruins lives.  I have watched it devastate my friends.

If suicide has touched your life, you know what I mean.  If you need help, or know someone who does PLEASE see the links below. Please, reach out to someone, to anyone.  You are not alone.  There are so many people who love and need you.

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/Default.aspx