A Most Selfish Act

 Kitty called me at work yesterday. "Hi Mom! The traffic is really slow today." She was on her way to Build-A-Bear. "Well traffic is always backed up heading to Albany in the morning. Should be clear soon." "No mom, there was an accident." "Oh goodness, I hope everyone is okay."

It wasn't until several hours later that I found out everyone was not okay. For reasons unknown, a woman parked her car, got out, and then ran into traffic on the highway being hit by several cars. It was a horrific suicide; and unfortunately the driver of the first car that hit her died too.

I know that life gets really tough sometimes. However, I can't wrap my head around what was going on with this woman to make her choose that way to end her life. What if by some chance she had lived? What kind of life would that have been?

Let's think about the poor driver who hit her first. Probably didn't even see her coming until he hit her; and then he lost his life as well. And how about the other cars that also hit her? They were just minding their own business when wham!! A body bounces off their cars or they ran over that body. How many nightmares are they going to have?

Suicide is a most selfish act. You aren't thinking about anyone else: just getting rid of your own pain. You don't think about the pain it will cause those you leave behind. Those you leave behind won't even get your life insurance because it doesn't cover suicide. What if she had children? How will they go about their lives knowing that their mother thought so little of them, if she thought of them at all?

We often think that if someone is depressed they need to talk to someone: a trusted friend, therapist or clergyman. They could even be put on medication. But sometimes the medication that is meant to help you, gives you suicidal thoughts. Ironic, isn't it? How does that help? And when you talk to someone, you can fake getting better and cheering up. Yet research shows that once a person settles their mind on suicide: that's what cheers them up and helps them go through with it.

I'm just so incredibly sad for everyone involved with this situation. I'm not going to say now she's at peace because I don't know if she is. That was in God's hands, especially if she happened to be mentally ill.

I don't know if the authorities will ever release her name, or any other facts about this woman. I don't know if we'll know who else was also a part of this tragedy on the Northway. I just hope that this doesn't start a trend, because you know how susceptible young people are (thanks TikTok). I hope that there will be prayers for the survivors of this tragedy. They are going to need them.