A Mother’s Story: The Tragedy of Suicide & The Journey of Hope
“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be set adrift in a small raft, alone on a sea of dark, murky waters, not knowing where you would end up or even if you would end up anywhere? Battered by waves and weather, not knowing if you would be rescued or drift forever? Not knowing if the sun would be there for you in the morning or if the moon would stay up with you at night? Imagine, hoping, praying, pleading to survive or hoping, praying, pleading to die? This describes my son Joel’s journey through the hell he experienced.
It is also my journey. Being set adrift, navigating an ocean of uncertainty, emotions so deep, so vast, so raw that they have no beginning and no end, changeable as the tides, all controlling the trip and the ultimate destination. My body along only as a passenger, clinging to the sides of the raft to keep from falling out and being swallowed up by this seemingly bottomless ocean. I’m pulled forward and I’m pulled backward. But, I am healthy, my son is mentally ill. Thus, I have significantly more control.
When my son died, I felt like a part of me died also. So much of me was tied into who he was and who he should have become. His ocean of emotions, his ups and downs became the ebbs and tides of my own. His choices affected mine. His mind and thoughts dominated numerous moments. His time often was spent fighting his thoughts. Even in death, his choices have affected my life’s direction. My successes have become blunted. My path and who I am has been altered.” – Excerpt from Goodnight My Son, I Love You
Goodnight My Son, I Love You is a memoir about a mother and son’s fall into tragedy and flight into triumph following suicide. From the fight against mental-illness through the pain of staying connected to each other despite the enormous pain that mental illness provides and into the aftermath of suicide – both here on Earth and in the afterlife; Sue Serlin-Resnick and Joel Serlin take you on a journey you won’t forget in this deeply personal account.
For those suffering from grief and loss, this book provides a comfort that you are indeed not alone. For those struggling with suicidal thoughts, this book shares insights into what it means to take your own life from a man who has done it and contact his mother from the afterlife to share messages of hope. For those who are tormented by a troubled loved one who is suicidal, this book will give you a road map that may make your journey easier.
Written nearly a decade and a half after her son’s passing, Sue Serlin-Resnick courageously explores her own journey to hope and healing while also sharing tools and resources she has used during a lifetime of overcoming hardships and challenges. As a dyslexic child, she was misunderstood, labeled and bullied. She continued to learn, to grow, to add new tools. With the death of her son, all she has learned has cumulated to create a treasure trove of wisdom about how to endure.
Goodnight My Son, I Love You is a must-read for grieving parents, suicidal individuals and the families working with suicidal loved ones.
