A friend of mine committed suicide last week, leaving his friends and family members grieving. No one could understand why he had resorted to such a drastic step as he was not a person who would give up easily. Instead, he was charming and easy-going, who viewed life as a series of opportunities. It was particularly difficult to get at the real cause as he had left no suicide note.

As soon as I heard the news, I recalled my last meeting with him. I had asked: “Will you go for deusi in Tihar?” “Let’s see what happens,” he had replied. I could not forget those four words. What did he mean? That he would accompany us if he changed his mind to end it all? I spoke to many of his friends about this but they were as shocked as I was. People came up with their own versions of the suicide. There must be a girl involved, someone argued; it was a family matter, another said; hooked to drugs, yet others surmised. There was no end to the speculation. Nobody had ever seen a hint of frustration on his face or in his words.

That fateful night he had gone to bed after dinner as usual. So the next morning the family found him, to their utter disbelief, hanging from a ceiling fan, a curtain string wrung tight around his neck. I cannot imagine what his parents must have felt at that moment; his mother is still in shock, fainting at regular intervals.

After this incident, I realised how precious children are to their parents. When my mother heard the news, she was in for a shock too. At that moment I knew that I could never leave my parents or disappoint them. I wonder how children come to think they can do anything to their lives without imagining what might happen to their parents after they take the plunge out of this world. It is a sin.

Whatever may have prompted my mate to opt for the final solution, this incident has made me believe, more than ever, that this is no solution at all. Rather, it makes things worse for those left behind. He will have no second chance to consider if the step he took was the right one.

He’s gone. No doubt it will leave a void in my life for a long time to come. But anyone should think a hundred times before taking this cowardly step. Why not fight against all odds and live a full life instead?