Today marks the beginning of World Suicide Prevention Week. The most wonderful company, To Write Love on Her Arms, is expressing messages of hope within their theme “Tomorrow Needs You.” As someone who has been affected by the suicide of others in my life and has dealt with mental health issues, myself, messages like this are something that I wish to speak over myself every day. Inspired by the message written by the founder of the organization, (you can find their website here) I have written my own letter to myself. Why is tomorrow important to me when it’s so easy to give up today? Why is getting out of bed important to me when it could be so easy to stay? What is saying yes to life, to healing, to community, to love important to me when no takes so much less effort? Tomorrow needs me.

tomorrow is filled with beauty to be seen

  light that will dance

  wildflowers that will bloom

 plants that will grow

  and you need to be there to see it

tomorrow is filled with voices to be heard

  laughter to be felt

              deep and welling over

                                   and you need to be there to hear it

          to feel it

tomorrow is filled with landscapes to be seen

wildflowers to be picked

redwoods to be hugged

and fields to be frolicked in

tomorrow will be filled with experiences to share

                                restaurants that you haven’t yet tried

just think, giving up would’ve met not trying that amazing pad thai

tomorrow needs you to pick up your camera

      your pen

      your phone

because you have art to create

        words to write

        friends to call

tomorrow needs you to stay so you can go

            so you can travel

to all the places you’ve been before and all those you haven’t yet seen

tomorrow needs you to try those dishes you haven’t yet tried

tomorrow needs you to open your doors 

to all those you love and those you’ve yet to meet

tomorrow needs you to stay because there are people to be loved

people to be hugged

stories to be told

and stories to be heard

tomorrow needs you to stay for all the things you love

for all the people you love

for your newly grown family

for your friends who remind you that you’re not alone

for you favorite flavor fudge and wildflowers

for puppies walking down the street

the way nature and man compose themselves in such a way that you gotta pick up your camera

for those songs that make you feel

for those gas station parking lots you need to dance in

the smell of an old fashion before you take the first sip

for desert monsoons and butterflies along the trail

the sound of a creek and all that lives inside 

tomorrow needs you to stay for the gluten free donuts you will eat

tomorrow needs you to stay because you are not your own

you belong to so many people

you belong to him and you belong to Him

tomorrow needs you to stay because there is healing to be had

joy to be felt

babies to be held

surprises to be had

love to be given and received

tomorrow needs you to stay because there are songs to be sung

books to be read
and battles to be won

tomorrow needs you to stay.