Hope is in our blood

Suicide is a big issue for our indigenous kids.  It is scary as a parent to see your child hurting so much.  When Sophie was first suicidal I felt like I had failed as a parent.  I really liked this article by Jonnie Jae "Hope is in our blood" where she speaks about her struggle with suicide and the strength that she draws from her ancestors.  We come from people who have survived a lot.  We are never alone.  I try to remind Sophie that even if I cannot be there in a particular moment that she is surrounded by her family, those who have walked on, and those around her, the earth at her feet, the tree outside the window, the rock in her pocket. She may not know how to get through something, but there are a lot of people with her to support her and share knowledge.  I also try to apply that back to myself, as scared as I am, my ancestors have lived through these struggles, seen much and can guide me through.  My first tattoo was "struggle" to remind myself that the very fact that you keep going to struggle is a kind of hope.  You are never alone.