Whenever I buy eggs, I always open
the carton and look at the eggs inside to make sure the shells are all intact. Egg
shells are fragile. A cursory look will not always spot broken shells in the
carton, and the last carton of eggs I bought had two broken eggs in it.
Since I don’t want to get sick from
eating a cracked egg, I threw the eggs away. Those eggs will never reach their
full potential. They could have been scrambled, boiled, fried, poached, or used
in a recipe. Eggs are versatile; at least they are, if they are not broken
before their time.
Sometimes, people are broken before
their time too. They can be broken mentally or physically. Humans are
remarkably resilient, while being fragile at the same time. The mystery of why
adversity makes one person stronger and breaks another is beyond my
comprehension.
John D. Loudermilk wrote the country
song “Break My Mind,” a song about one of the ways people are broken—through
failed relationships. Minds can be broken by abuse, failure, humiliation,
physical pain, loss, feeling trapped, feelings of not living up to expectations
or potential, or PTSD from a past event. Some people become depressed, which
can lead to suicidal thoughts.
Jim suffered from PTSD caused by his
tour of duty in Vietnam. He dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts for
several years. I believe this brokenness was brought on by his experiences in
the military and exposure to Agent Orange. I also believe there is a connection
between the effects long-term depression had on his brain and the dementia that
would eventually be the cause of his death.
War doesn’t just kill and maim
people during combat; it has residual effects that change lives forever. It
makes some people stronger and breaks others. The VA reports that the suicide
rate is twenty-two percent higher for veterans than nonveterans. Twenty
veterans take their lives each day.
It took me a long time to realize
that I couldn’t make Jim’s depression better. I am thankful that he didn’t
commit suicide. Considering the vulnerability Jim had while surrounded by a
loving family, I can’t imagine how dire the situation is for homeless veterans,
or those set adrift because of alcohol and drug abuse.
In life, circumstances beyond our
control can determine whether we live up to our potential or whether we lay
broken and bruised. Depression broke Jim’s mind and dementia broke his brain.
Source:
2017 “VA Releases Veteran Suicide Statistics by State.”
https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2951
Copyright © September 2018 by L.S.
Fisher
#ENDALZ
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