Goodbye, friend.

A friend of mine that I had been getting to know committed suicide last week. He had been going through some serious trials for years, and it looks like he eventually decided that his life wasn't going to get any better. I wish he could have seen some of the attributes in himself that made me and others care about him. He lived with another friend, and we got to know him first playing World of Warcraft, and next at D&D nights. He had a debilitating mental illness that was diagnosed way too late and caused him so many hardships. I wish that I could have done more to make him feel not alone. It's not my fault, I don't think that, but I think it's wise after anything like this that one ask one he or she can do differently if the situation were to arise again. H

I believe that he's with God now and his soul is a perfected version of what his body was supposed to be. I think he understands now, and I believe that God gives his children peace after their earthly trials. He was a good man, and was kind to his brothers and sisters. And that's what God expects from us.

I'm not the most spirtual guy, but in this case I thought I'd write down a few of my favorite scriptures about God's love. Since I believe that God is the father of our spirts, however that happens, I think of his love being a more pure and intense version of what I feel for my daughter. And that is that you can always come home to find rest and healing.

Revelation 4:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death , neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

2 Nephi 33:7 - I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shell meet many souls spotless at his judgement seat.

2 Nephi 26:33 - ...and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and gentile.

Doctrine and Covenants 42:45 - Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die...

A health insurance debate object lesson

I was reading about the family movie Saw VI over at http://kidsinmind.com, which is a fantastic site to find out what content is in movies coming out.

After giving descriptions of all of the twisted, hideously gorey deaths, there is a section called "discussion topics". These include topics that your family can talk about after watching the movie. For Saw VI, it's recommended that after your kid come home after watching people's intestines fall out and other nice things that you talk to them about health insurance.