The Illusion of Immunity: From Social Comparison to Wholeness
September 3, 2025
Pine Cone
September 9, 2025
September is Suicide Prevention Month.
By Nick Aitoro
I’ve never been one to mark awareness months or national campaigns—but this one is different. We’ve all been touched by suicide one way or another. This one is as personal as it can get.
The story begins many years ago with two high school kids falling in love. A familiar tale: a beautiful girl and an insecure boy who hid behind a tough exterior and humor. Their world was simple, bright, and full of possibility.
But life has a way of testing even the strongest beginnings. Parents, religion, and the proverbial tracks drove a wedge between them.
Over the years, life carried them forward. Their lives were as full as they could be—with marriages, kids, careers, and responsibilities that left little room for what once was. And yet, one truth remained for both of them: something was missing.
Fast forward more than 20 years, and fate—through the simple scroll of social media—brought them back together. The past melted away in their conversations as they reconnected over life’s adventures, struggles, and dreams. Though the boy was in a relationship, she was single—scarred but strong, a survivor of abusive relationships.
What time, distance, and circumstance had once separated seemed suddenly small compared to the bond they rediscovered. For a moment, it felt like the universe had conspired to give them back what was lost.
She shared health struggles—persistent pain and exhaustion that doctors couldn’t explain. The uncertainty wore on her, making it difficult to live fully, to love deeply, and to be the mother she longed to be for her children.
The boy encouraged her, listened to her, and wrestled with his own conflicted heart—torn between the remnants of his current relationship and the deep desire to rescue her. In time, his relationship ended, and he made a move across the country. Through it all, they stayed in touch. They began to dream, to plan, to imagine what life might look like together. A spark of renewal lit both of their hearts, and the thought of finally reuniting filled them with excitement.
But behind her laughter and her words, there were shadows. The weight of her health, her past, and her battles with pain and trauma ran deeper than he could see. And before they had the chance to meet again, before their story could write its next chapter, the struggles she carried became too heavy.
It was a Saturday morning, June 20, 2015, when he woke up and scrolled Facebook. His lost love was tagged in a post by her teenage daughter, thanking everyone for the outpouring of love. Disbelief and emptiness filled him as he read the words.
She had succumbed to the pain, the fighting, and the unknown.
She ended her life.
They were once again separated—but this time it wasn’t a distance that could be crossed. It was final, and far greater.
Suicide doesn’t end suffering—it multiplies it, leaving ripples of grief in every life it touches. That’s why awareness matters. That’s why connection matters. And that’s why we must keep talking about it.
If you are struggling, please know this: you are not alone. You are not a burden. You matter.
📞 Call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
📞 For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and press 1.
💬 You can also text HELLO to 741741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line.
Help is here—24/7, free, and confidential. Please reach out.
Forever in my heart, Cindy.
With love, Nick
