I’ve seen how the spirit of suicide affects Native men within our communities. I don’t know if it’s pride or testosterone or what, but it seems like that spirit attacks us men more than it does Native women. That’s not to take away from the Native women who are suffering and who have suffered from this spirit of suicide—but for right now, my concern is with you, Nephew. I’m speaking to you because I see so many of your friends, young men just like you, listening to that spirit of suicide… giving in to that spirit of suicide.

What you have to understand is that the spirit of suicide lies to you, nephew. You think that he wants you. But he’s not after you. He wants to hurt your family and the ones you love. He’s after your family’s spirit. He’s after your community’s spirit. Where there is one suicide, rest assured there will be more. And you’ll be helping others to kill themselves and to keep that painful cycle going.

That’s the thing: suicide doesn’t kill the person’s spirit who commits suicide. That’s too easy. It kills their whole family’s spirit.