I write this with a heart at peace. This is not a cry for help and no one who knows me needs to be alarmed. My depression isn't new and neither is the deeper sense of un-belonging I often feel, and lots of people I know have felt this way before.

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Lightsome is a promise I made to myself at my lowest when I needed a reminder of why I am here. Though I have had suicidal ideations since I was 12 years old, I'd never planned for the end of my life until the first days of 2022. So many things contributed to the unfortunate and unwell mental state I was in. Most of those things haven't gone away, and some of them have gotten worse, but Lightsome reminds me to be kind and find hope in my darkest moments. Even if that light is small--a gesture, or a thought--it is what keeps me present. I promised myself I would never take my own life.

 

There's a phrase I use to help myself when I feel most alone: it's okay to not be okay. If you or someone you know struggles with suicidal thoughts, ideation, or planning, please know that your continued support and love for them is so needed. You may receive no acknowledgement of the fact, but when we are at our lowest, we remember you. You are what keeps us here.

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A portion of profits from Lightsome sales will go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an organization that funds research and provides support resources to those affected by suicide.