EDITORIAL — Another call to attention

What could have been a tragic incident earlier this month was prevented by sheer luck.

Last April 1, a young woman decided to end her life by jumping off the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. She hit the water but seems to have had a change of heart because she clung to the pillar of the bridge, waiting for rescue.

It was fortunate that the Philippine Accessible Disability Services (PADS) Adaptive Dragonboat Racing Team was practicing in the area at the time. The team rescued her and brought her to safety at Pajara Park in the Mandaue City side where she was turned over to authorities. She was later taken to the hospital, where she was reported in stable condition.

There weren’t much details available about the young woman so we don’t really know what she was going through and what personal, familial, social, or financial problem led to make that decision to jump off the bridge and try to end her life.

However, it’s worth remembering that whatever rough patch any of us may be going through in life right now, it’s only temporary. It will change. In fact this belief has become an adage: Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. There’s another saying that goes: This too shall pass.

We shouldn’t let a temporary crisis lead us to make what can possibly be the worst decision we can ever make in our life.

The fact that she was clinging on to the pillar shows her change of heart; so we can assume she changed her mind and really wasn’t ready to die yet. That means even with that impulsive decision she made there was still some fight left in her, and that’s a good thing.

If anything else, this should again call attention to the plight of many young people who don’t see any way out of their difficult situation other than suicide. An entire generation needs help coping with problems and difficult situations they never thought they would experience in their lifetime.

It’s still worth mentioning that even little things like talking and spending time with people who are in “crisis mode” helps.