Sem-i-co-lon: A punctuation mark (;) indicating a pause, typically between two main clauses, that is more pronounced than that indicated by a comma.
We all know what a semicolon is and it is pretty underrated when it comes to writing and that is okay. As an English teacher told me when I was actually paying attention, the semicolon means you have more to say and it is just as important, maybe more so. I never forgot her saying that because her voice inflection got soft and powerful when she said, “It is just as important, maybe more so.”
I bring this up because I saw a guy wearing a shirt that had on the front, a semicolon. I walked over and told him that was a cool shirt and there had to be a meaning behind it. He thanked me for asking and said it was a suicide prevention shirt. I stepped back and must’ve had the most quizzical look on my face. “A semicolon means you got more to say and let’s apply this to someone who is struggling. You got so much more to live for and the semicolon tells you to keep going. There is no period there, so keep going.”
We talked for a little while longer and I told him about the mission of mental health awareness I have been on after struggling with depression and anxiety, not to mention that way too many friends are no longer with us because of the struggle. We both realized that this is a huge problem, especially for men, that any way we can use to reach someone is always needed.
Whoever came up with this wonderful idea to use a semicolon to raise awareness in this way should be given a medal. I have been using a semicolon my whole life and not one time did I stop to think it could be used in the simplest of ways to tell someone not to give up and keep going. Remember, it is just as important, maybe more so.
I know we have established days and times where we spotlight mental health but this is not a certain month or a certain day awareness thing. This is a 365 24/7 focus that we have to do to let people know how much they are loved and how great our world is with them in it. However we reach them, whether it be a phone call or text or a T-shirt with a semicolon, let us keep it going.
After all, we are all walking the same way and together makes it better.
