I was stunned to learn of the suicide of Kate Spade, the fashion designer. It goes to show that you never really know what's going on in a person's life from the outside. She seemed to have it all; married for 24 years, a daughter, a successful career, name recognition, and lots of money.



I remember years ago dining in a Scottsdale, AZ restaurant with a friend. A gentleman came up to our table and pointed to my friend's purse. It was a Kate Spade bag. The man identified himself as Kate's father-in-law and smiled and said to keep buying her bags. And then he left.

Today, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years. We were both shopping at Costco. During our conversation, I pointed to her bag; a Kate Spade bag. We both began talking about how sad the news about her death was.

I remember being shocked when Robin Williams committed suicide back in 2014. Another person who seemed to have it all and yet apparently did not.



According to WebMD, 42,000 Americans die by suicide every year. They want to end their pain. I remember learning about depression and suicide during my nurses' training.  My instructor told us that when a person is so depressed, they don't have the energy to commit suicide. It's the time when they seem to be doing better; that's the time they may have decided to take action.

I hope that increased awareness about depression will get people talking about this disease. Taking medications and talking to a counselor may be just what is needed. Maybe one person would get the help they need, and some good could come out of a tragedy.

Blessings and love,