LETTER: Life Sharing

I knew Steven Ochs from my telephone conversations with him about letters I submitted to The Daily Pennsylvanian last year. Although we disagreed on some topics, I found him to be pleasant and understanding in all my interactions with him. I am very saddened by what has happened. Depression, especially at such an early age, is difficult to handle. When things seem so dark and hopeless for the first time, it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, it feels as if there will be no end to it. In such a situation, taking one's life appears to be the most compassionate thing one can do for oneself. In this sense, I am sure, Steve did what he thought was right. Unfortunately, we are not accustomed to publicly speaking about such "dark" experiences as Steve went through. If we did, maybe Steve would not have felt so alone. At least he might have been somewhat consoled to know that these experiences are not out of the ordinary, weird or all wrong, but in fact are shared by many normal people and are temporary. Having the faith, however, to wait out our "dark" experiences requires more than an heroic effort. It requires the support of those who have lived and grown through similar experiences. This is why it is so necessary to share our bad times along with the good. We would then be less likely to allow them to define us as persons, and would be more likely to see them as stages on life's journey. The death/resurrection experience is central to my faith as a Christian, but I think it is something beyond the bounds of Christianity. Sure, everyone knows we believe that after you die, if you were good, you will rise again and live. But the death/resurrection experience has a meaning that pervades all of life. It is a life-giving cycle that is a part of every person's journey. The fact that there will be very dark times, that they will give way to light and understanding, and that they are temporary, is something that we need to share with one another. Despite their desperately bleak appearance -- and their apparent relentlessness -- they have meaning and are opportunities for growth both for the individual and the community. In early times, we had myths such as The Odyssey to describe the human journey. It was a way to prepare people for what they would face in real life. It was a way to give meaning to the dark times and to give hope of ultimately finding one's way home again. Today's society does not share stories like these anymore. We have little to ground us when things get rocky. We focus so much on what to do in life, that we have lost the ability to speak about life itself. I hope that we can learn from Steven and begin to realize the importance of sharing our stories and our journeys, so that no matter what we experience, we will know that we are not alone. BOB CARDIE Assistant Director Newman Center

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.