The news of the passing of Stephen “Twitch” Boss is shocking. Twitch was the DJ on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and when the show ended, he was an executive producer. He had a wife and three children. When a person who appears to be so vibrant and full of life decides to take their own life, we are always shocked. I just watched a segment on his 40-year-old life, and there were no obvious signs that he was troubled. But you never know what someone is going through. Medical professionals have said that the holidays are trying for a lot of people, and you should reach out to your friends who may be alone or lonely during this time. Sometimes we are so busy with our own problems and life in general that we forget about others. Often, people are struggling to keep up that happy exterior while crying inside. If you feel that someone needs a word of encouragement or the sound of a caring voice, stop what you are doing and make a phone call, invite someone to lunch or dinner, and if you suspect that they need help, either offer it or make suggestions that are realistic for them. We all know that life is not easy, and for some it is not tolerable. Help troubled friends by sharing stories about how you handled a difficult situation and what they might do to find happiness. There are going to be cases where there is nothing you can do, but you can try. Rumor has it that Black people don’t believe in going to see a mental health professional, in some respects that is changing. We (African Americans) need to take better care of their health in general. Prayer is good, but it is not the only answer when you need medical attention. During the upcoming holiday set aside a few hours and reach out to some of the people that you have not talked to in a while, you will be glad that you did.
Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com
Click Here to View All “Lifestyles with Debbie Norrell” Articles
