There?s a growing argument against suicide as a crime, and it?s based on the premise that people have the right to die. While that?s true in a very selfish regard, it?s completely false in about a hundred Unselfish respects. We don?t intend to list all of those respects because there?s only one real fact that we need to know. And that fact is that none of our lives exclusively belong to us.

That may sound strange, but it?s true ? and all you need to do to realize it is think about your relationships. Here?s how it works:

You?re someone?s child. If you?re married, you?re someone?s spouse. If you have children, you?re someone?s parent. If your children have children, you?re someone?s grandparent. By default, you?re someone?s aunt, niece, uncle, nephew, sibling and/or cousin. If you work, you?re someone?s boss, employee, or co-worker. If you live in a residence, you?re someone?s neighbor. If you talk to any person outside of your family, you?re someone?s friend. If you buy things, you?re someone?s customer. If you enjoy the fruits of someone else?s labor, you?re someone?s fan.

Now although all of this is obvious, few of us take the time to realize how interdependent these relationships are. More importantly, few of us take the time to realize the important role our presence plays in these relationships. That?s why when a suicide is committed, a large group of people lose. Here?s how that works:

A parent loses a child. A spouse loses a partner. A child loses a parent. A grandchild loses a grandparent. An aunt, niece, uncle, nephew, sibling and/or cousin loses the same. A boss loses an employee or an employee loses a boss. A co-worker loses a co-worker. A neighbor loses a neighbor. A friend loses a friend. A shop loses a customer. A star loses a fan.

Such loses occur with any death ? not just suicide. But with a suicide, death causes a great deal of shock, pain (grief), disbelief, disappointment anger, confusion, guilt, and resentment for one simple reason: Suicide is preventable. In fact, one of the most common statements about a suicide is that it didn?t have to happen. People say this because had they known a suicide was about to happen, they would have done everything to prevent it. This is human nature at work. And it?s what makes suicide an unacceptable, non-right.

Copyright (c) 2008 Elizabeth Davis

While at my master mind meeting last week, we were challenged to share our core compelling story – to reveal the soft underbelly of our business success. What prompted each of us to pursue the path we had and why did we feel the passion we did about our businesses? What was the ONE thing we really DIDN’T want to talk about – because it made us feel vulnerable, exposed, silly, stupid, needy, or just plain weird?

It’s no big secret that I was suicidal in my late teens and again in my late twenties. I even wrote about it in my “How To Read Your Own Hands” study course. However, it’s one thing to write it down – it’s another thing to express it to a live audience of 80+ people.

In my 29th year, I was depressed, deeply depressed. I knew that there had to be more, but what? I was trudging to and from my day job, knowing that there had to be more to life than answering pointless emails, attending pointless meetings and making money just to pay the bills and buy more stuff. A bigger TV was not going to cure the angst and agony chewing a hole through my gut.

I wanted to die not because I hated myself or this beautiful planet; I wanted to die because my life lacked meaning. Although I love the freedom and security money provides, I am not motivated by money. I am motivated by meaning. I was well into my “dark night of the soul.” I was having a spiritual crisis. I may as well as have been dead because I was committing spiritual suicide already – I could not find the POINT, the REASON, the MEANING.

Late one night, in desperation, contemplating the various methods of extinguishing my life available to me, I called a dear friend in hopes she would talk me out of it. (I didn’t really want to die – I just SO BADLY WANTED TO LIVE!) I told her what I was thinking. Her response was not what I expected. “Beth, that is the most selfish thing I’ve ever heard. If you kill yourself, I will chase you from this lifetime into the next. I will never stop hounding you. You need to get outside of yourself and find a purpose to your life. You need to help someone else. Do you really have no idea how loved you are? That makes me sad – that you have no idea how much we need you.”

Her slap upside the head was exactly what I needed. I thought of my mother and the potential guilt she might feel – thinking that perhaps she had done something ‘wrong’ to cause my misery. It was nobody’s fault, there was nothing wrong. I was simply lost. Many spiritual teachers speak of this emptiness as the beginning of true living.

“Well,” I asked my friend, “what should I do?” She said, “How about asking?” “Asking whom?” I said. “Spirit,” she said. “Ask the Universe to show you.” And so I did.

That night, kneeling by the edge of my bed, my knobby knees digging into the floor, I asked: “Great Spirit, God, Goddess, Universe, whatever name you choose to go by, please help me. I beg of you. I am on my knees. I am at my lowest low. If you show me my Life Purpose, I will forever be your humble servant.” I did not realize, at the time, the intensity nor consequences of the prayer I was making.

Two weeks later, a knock came at my door.

(…to be continued in Spiritual Suicide ‘ Part Two.)

Self defense is in place to protect people who may be harmed from protecting themselves. This allows someone to defend themselves physically if they have to and not be responsible for any legal charges that may be brought against them in court. The factors that the courts consider include the person who you are defending yourself against, the extent of the defense, and why the fighting is even taking place. These are big factors that are determined if a decision is to put you in jail.

Political rounds in the legal arena concerning the concept of self defense include two concepts that may make it easier for people to defend themselves and not have to worry about going to jail. Some states allow you to carry weapons on you and others allow you to shoot and kill an attacker. Find out what the laws are in your state so you know exactly what you can do against an attacker and you will not be convicted of a crime.

The Castle Doctrine is a concept that enables any home owner to have the ability to defend themselves and their family members. This doctrine also provides protection on the property you reside on. This bill allows homeowners to use deadly force against a burglar or person that enters your home, from violent attack or an intrusion which may lead to violent attack. You do not have to fear prosecution for killing anyone who enters into your home with the intent of violent attack or an intrusion which may lead to violent attack.

There is another bill that is being enacted into the legislature called the ?stand your ground? bill. This was brought into Florida in 2005 and is also being considered by 21 other states also. This allows people who are at home or in public to meet force with force in order to defend themselves. This conduct will protect victims against prosecution. As long as the person is defending themselves, they will not go to jail.

It is said that states and legislatures are now recognizing that criminals will slow down on their crimes when they are faced with being shot and killed. When criminals know they are protected by laws that won’t let people kill them they will continue to commit robberies, rapes, and other heinous crimes.

There are many people who have went to jail for defending themselves. The laws are changing and are recognizing the factors associated with self defense and that it is okay to meet a criminal with whatever it takes to protect yourself, your family, and your property from harm.

Before taking any self defense actions make sure you what the laws are in your local state.