A Lesson

Today's post is a little darker then I normally write, so I hope you will bear with me.

If you get a chance, read Laura Berman's column on detnews.com; jobless, facing eviction, a Detroiter checks out.

We all need to remember that when a person loses his/her job, it not only takes a toll financially, but mentally and emotionally as well. Especially when the job loss comes unexpectedly. I can only write from a man's perspective, but regardless of what your thoughts are about women in the workplace, a man still oftentimes defines himself in terms of his job and his role as the "breadwinner" in the family. And a job loss can have a significant impact on his psyche. As the article states, the older a man is, the more likely it is that a job loss will affect his emotional state.

I am not suggesting that every person who loses their job is in danger of suicide, but I will go out on a limb and say that it will affect their emotional well-being. So if you know someone who has lost their job, keep the article in mind and be aware of it will ya? A phone call or a visit might be just the thing to help them out at this period in their lives when they need to know that they are not alone.

We are our brother's keeper.

Oh, and in case you are wondering if this post is an any way quasi-autobiographical, I can assure you it is not. Thoughts of suicide have never entered my mind. Homicide, yes, on a far more regular basis then I would care to admit (especially behind the wheel of my car...)