Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.
― Marcus Aurelius , Meditations
I had become a regular at this McDonald’s every Wednesday since I joined the language exchange on MeetUp. The hidden rule is that as long as you each purchase something, McDonald’s employees will let you hold an event discreetly.
Savouring my half-melted McFlurry, I had already anticipated the answer…
He: Yeah… the subway is my only complaint about Toronto. It stops in between stations for a long time and doesn’t give you a reason! *voice raised slightly*
Me: Haha, welcome to Canada! It’s a common occurrence here. We are used to it.
He: But what if people are late for work? That’s so irresponsible! In Japan, even if they are late for a minute, they make an announcement to apologize. *tone serious*
Me: Hmm, often times, you hear them over the speaker saying it’s to do with a medical emergency. And that usually means… someone jumped onto the track… *trailed off*
He: What? Suicide? But people here have a relaxing lifestyle, why would they want to kill themselves? *eyes wide*
Photo by Alec Favale on Unsplash
Also, gates and fences do lower the cases of suicide.
There are people who have been thinking about suicide for a while and would do it despite all the preventive measures, but there are also those with sudden impulses.
Make it harder for them.
I particularly enjoy the time after a fascinating lecture. Sharing what I had learned with those who are genuinely interested brings much joy to me.
Strolling along the sidewalk, he listened patiently…
Me: Okay, guess which area has the higher suicide rate? City or the country? *eagerly*
He: Umm, I think the city because, I mean, people’s lives are so much more stressful and going to a 9-5 job everyday probably makes them want to kill themselves…
Me: Haha, I think many people hold the same assumption as you, but… *passing him the phone*
He: What?! No way…!
Photo by Lucas Miguel on Unsplash
Deaths by suicide in Japan, the US and the UK, 2017. Sourced from Health Data GBD Compare
