Got some unwelcome news first thing today: Someone I've known for many years recently took their own life. Feeling angry and sad and like a shit friend because we lost touch at some point, and I had no idea of their struggles. But I definitely could have been more curious. My response so far since hearing this news has been to reach out to a few people I've not checked in w/ for a while.
@briankrebs I do believe we get in touch with lots of people and lose contact with many of them. It is hard to stay in touch with all of them. I do believe, it does not help to feel guilty. But it helps, as you stated, as I see it, to look to the ones around you, you are in touch with. Many people who have downs or get depressed are very good hiding it. We are humans, not prophets.
To me, it sometimes helps to just talk to someone and listen. Active listening. Instead of replying to a statement, say: Tell me more. Just this.
I am constantly surprised how much this changes the communication and the thing, the opposite tells me.
I don’t know you. But what I read from you makes me believe you are a good friend, to the people close to you. YMMV
@briankrebs I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you will be ok.
@briankrebs I’m very sorry, Brian. Wishing you peace.
@briankrebs
Condolences friend and hoping you find comfort in your memories of your friend
@briankrebs Sad news. The only good to come of such losses is if they inspire us to be kind to others, and to connect more.
@briankrebs
I’m so sorry for your loss. 🫂
*Be kind to yourself, please. Sending love and peace.
@briankrebs you learn, that‘s the key part. I am single, living alone, seem to be a bad guy because hardly anyone wants to have to do something with me. I could die and lie in my flat for three weeks and no one would notice until the neighbors smell it.
I try hard with the few guys I am in touch with to be aware and careful… Not sure what this means to them.
@briankrebs
I'm so sorry.
Big hug.
This happened to me. Big brother, 26 years ago.
Still hard.
@briankrebs At the risk of coming across as cold-hearted, you can't blame yourself for this. I'm sorry for your loss, and this is a tragic and drastic thing to do - to despair to the point of taking one's life. But the odds are 50/50 that you might have been able to prevent that from happening.
Life tends to crush some of us more than others. It scatters people in different directions and, as they get older and move along different career paths, they drift apart. It takes a special (and praiseworthy) effort to track them down over the years. How many people do that?
@briankrebs I'm so sorry, I've experienced this too, it's devastating 😔💔
@briankrebs
Sorry for your loss.
Kind of geeky of me but I had a soft spot for Eek the Cat (creation of Steve Savage).
Here's one of his catch phrases.
(FTR, there are many things in the universe which you and I have no control over.)
@briankrebs
You're a good man Charlie Brown
@briankrebs 💚 🙏 Sorry for your loss.
@briankrebs sorry for your loss 😢
@briankrebs be kind to yourself. 🫂
@briankrebs so sorry for your loss. I know this one. It's rough.
@briankrebs so sorry for your and their family's loss
@briankrebs So sorry to hear of your loss. And it was not you who caused this, but I understand your sadness and regret.
@briankrebs 💔 Hugs to you!
@briankrebs i'm so sorry to hear this. this happened to me earlier this year and I had the same instinct, to reach out to friends I hadn't talked to for awhile. <3
@briankrebs Sorry for your loss. This is hard.
@briankrebs been there, two dear friends, but i only knew one of them was In the Trenches with me. I should have known or said or asked or persisted.
there's a lot of people looking for rays of light in the dark. it's exhausting and sometimes people forget what they were fighting for, or have forgotten what it's like to live without the weight of the wheel they're pushing off their shoulders every day they get out of bed.
i haven't been in danger since 2016, but it stalks us, in a way. #mdd
@briankrebs My deepest sympathies.
@briankrebs I am so sorry. May they be at peace.
@briankrebs
unfortunately, what you're feeling will likely never fully go away. At least for me it hasn't and it's been over 20 years.
@briankrebs The star isn't a "like", just sympathy

@briankrebs I’m so sorry.