![]() When I was a teenager, I became aware of suicide as it affected my high school experience through several classmates taking their own lives. Not everyone has that type of support, and now I know how lucky I was to be surrounded by people I could lean on. Sometimes it was just listening to a really good song, full of thoughtful words, knowing that other people out there might struggle at times too. Sometimes it was a friend, a neighbor, or a teacher. Most times for me someone was there – and it wasn’t always a parent. It took me back to childhood and teenage years when I often needed someone to lean on. Most of us know the song and can easily sing the chorus: He wrote the song after he moved from West Virginia to California, when he was missing the “strong community ethic” of his hometown. ![]() It was his first and only number one single. Recently, an oldie but goodie started skipping through my brain: “Lean on Me”, by Bill Withers, American singer-song writer (April 1972). Other times, I engage the tune, focus on the words and find deeper meaning in the endless chatter going on upstairs. For the most part, I acknowledge the tune and brush the music aside to move on to other thoughts or tasks that need my attention. ![]() Often, the songs are from the 70’s or 80’s, taking me back to a sweet childhood memory. Occasionally, usually in the quiet evening hours (and unfortunately sometimes in the middle of a sleepless night), a simple lyric or song repeats in play mode in my mind. Written by: Melissa Blinn, Licensing Supervisor
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