"Use" Thanksgiving

On Sunday I was in the room as a passionate speaker spoke to teens about their worth and purpose.

On Monday I learned of the suicide of a friend's teenage daughter.

Why? That's the first question we ask when this happens...and it's been happening SO MUCH. We just learned of the fourth student lost to suicide on a local campus THIS SEMESTER. A pandemic is ending while an epidemic continues and we need to do what we can to stop it.

We have a great opportunity to start the stop this week, at the Thanksgiving table.

After attempting to take my own life twice in high school, I was shown love and it kept me from doing it again. I was shown love in a room at a counseling session. You could say it was a Thanksgiving gathering without the food -- I was brought into a room filled with people who loved me - family friends, neighbors, coaches, teachers, a principal, and my family. They were there for me, not food, and I believe we can do the same this week to save our teens and young adults.

How?

Use Thanksgiving to love them.

Use Thanksgiving to tell them you love them.

Use Thanksgiving to talk to them.

Use Thanksgiving to not talk down to them.

Use Thanksgiving to be thankful for them.

Use Thanksgiving to tell them you are thankful for them.

Use Thanksgiving to be purposeful.

Use Thanksgiving to tell them they have a purpose.

Use Thanksgiving to share gifts.

Use Thanksgiving to tell them what gifts you believe they have to share.

Use Thanksgiving to tell them you miss them when they're not home.

Use Thanksgiving to tell them you would miss them if they never came home again.

Use Thanksgiving to take pictures.

Use Thanksgiving to show them pictures of them that you cherish.

Use Thanksgiving to be present.

Use Thanksgiving to let them know they are a present and you want them to be present.

Use Thanksgiving to give thanks.

Use Thanksgiving to thank them for being in your life.

Use Thanksgiving as the great opportunity that it is to love, talk, thank, show, share, speak and appreciate these special gifts in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving teens and young adults - we love you, you're awesome and we want you here.