Disrupted

To disrupt is to interrupt the normal course by causing a disturbance or problem. On paper, my dad and my path seemed clear. We both had wonderful childhoods, received fantastic educations, were/are dedicated to our work and family, held drive and fairness as essential qualities but along the way, were both disrupted. To me the word “disrupted" represents the combination of life happening to us, around us, and with us; the amount we can control, when we have a choice, when we don’t, and what follows. Disrupted is the past tense, all of us have a past, all of us have a future and through it questions that may or may not be answered.
After my dad took his own life in July 2018, my eyes were opened to how suicide is discussed (or often not) in our society and how it is portrayed in media. It is a strange combination of taboo yet over exposed with how often we interact with the topic. From the phrase “I’ll kill myself” being used in everyday conversations to it being used as a plot device in media. I found that truth and its complicated reality were missing from the conversation so my goal was to provide just that. I want others who are survivors of suicide, either from themselves or from losing someone, to feel seen and that through hearing my father’s and my story, I provide evidence that life is worth living.