Hello, again, my dear friend. I thought of you today.
I just want to hug and tell you that we are all okay.
Oh, how I wish I could see you, that smiling face again.
Your presence brought me so much joy with just the slightest grin.
The time we spent together still means so much to me.
You left a lasting impact that there will always be.
We think about you always and we laugh about you, still.
Your memory is thought of daily, and probably always will.
I know the days were often dark and it was hard to see,
but you meant much to all of us – your family, friends, and me.
I wish I would have recognized the signs when they were there.
When times got hard and burdens heavy, it wasn’t yours to bear.
Depression is a battle that messes with our minds.
It can impact anyone, any place at any time.
I still remember how I felt the day I got the news.
It left a mark upon my heart like a soft and recent bruise.
I cried for days and weeks on end, but when I think about it now,
I think of how you’ve inspired me in more ways than you know how.
Like when I see a farmer who is struggling with price,
I try to call and cheer them up, as a laugh could suffice.
Or when I know somebody is struggling at home,
I hope I can ease their mind and know they aren’t alone.
You taught me the importance of telling others that you care,
because you never know when the day might come that they will not be there.
Because of you I advocate for others’ mental health.
A life is more valuable than any form of wealth.
I know where you are and for that I can be
brought a sense of comfort for I know that you are free:
Free from the demons of your emotional despair
Looking out for all of us, an angel that we share.
As you look down upon us, the people that you knew,
Know that we are thinking just as much of you.
Cause your memory is more than the way that your life ended
You left behind a legacy that cannot be comprehended.
Before I let you go and tell you, my friend, goodbye,
I just want to say one more time that you’re my reason why:
The reason why I advocate for the help that we deserve,
farming folks, just like you, who are so underserved.
We need resources, we need them now, please no longer bat an eye,
we cannot lose another soul who was too young to die.
So now, dear friend, the time has come for me to bid adieu.
Just know how much I miss your voice, your smile, but most of all, miss you.
This piece was written as a part of Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s Farm Neighbors Care campaign and is a tribute to the many friends I have lost to suicide. While conversations regarding mental health can be uncomfortable, it is especially important to be a support system for our friends, neighbors and family members when they are going through tough times. To learn more about the warning signs of depression or how to support someone who is having thoughts of suicide, visit American Farm Bureau’s Rural Resilience resource page.
Cassie Sonnentag is Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s director of media relations and outreach. Her and her husband, Allen (Bud), have one daughter and live near Cadott where they are involved in their family’s farm.
Maura O Meara says
Well done Cassie
Maura O Meara says
Hi Cassie, very well put together a lot of reflection and thought. It doesn’t matter what part of the world you live in mental health is an issue we all need to take serious and always be observant of. From Tipperary,