To Write Love on Her Arms Day 2010

I just want to take time to write about something that means a lot to me. Today is To Write Love on Her Arms Day (unofficially, there was one on November 13 too). TWLOHA is a non-profit organization that deals with suicide, depression, self-addiction, and substance abuse and how to help alleviate those problems. The organization deals with spreading hope and love to people that may feel that there is no hope or love for them. It's about starting a conversation. It's about not ignoring someone who comes to you looking for someone to talk to.

I love what this organization is doing, and although they are not affiliated with this day I'm glad they've brought these topics up when many people just want to ignore them and hope they disappear. What I hate, though, is people who treat this issue as if it's a joke. Depression is not a joke, and neither is suicide. All I keep reading on the Facebook page for this event is a bunch of people mocking this day, saying it's a waste and to let these people kill themselves. It's people like this that are the problems. Depression is not an "emo" problem. People with depression aren't faking it! It affects over 121 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization and TWLOHA's site (2/3 of these people never seek treatment), and I'm sure these people aren't "emo". I know people with depression, both family and friends, and it's something that has affected me. Depression doesn't discriminate against race, gender, religion, or social standing. It is a disease, pure and simple, and CAN AFFECT ANYONE!! I get so fed up when I see people mocking this problem.

I am also fed up with people saying "writing love on your arm doesn't help anyone". That's not the point of this day. It's to spread the word, to educate people, to make sure they understand the problem, and to show that there are people who believe in hope and love. Yes, writing love on your arm will not physically cure anybody's depression anymore than wearing a pink pin or baseball players using pink bats will cure breast cancer. It's a show of support and a way of raising awareness, and it's beautiful, just like seeing people wear those pink pins show unity and support. I ask people please stay educated to these important issues and that's all I can truly ask for. And please read the story, it's truly phenomenal.

I don't care if you support TWLOHA, and I'm pretty sure they don't care. The story of Renee, which began TWLOHA is beautiful and shows the amazing power that this organization can have and how it truly can change things. This isn't about buying a shirt or writing "love" on your arms physically. It's about a mindset. It's about caring, about hope, about love, about treating people with respect! I'm wearing my red "TWLOHA" shirt today to show my support, but in all you can show your support every day of the week to someone who needs your help and your time. Don't blow someone off if they need a shoulder to cry on. You don't know how much power you have to help. We are the hopeful. TWLOHA :-)

"We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home." - Jamie Tworkowski

www.twloha.com/vision