Rache Caire- My Eye Opener

I was raised in a Catholic family and never once questioned my faith. High school was where I grew into a rational human being. I found true friends and gained a better relationship with my family. During my senior year, young people were committing suicides left and right. My sister's friend was one of those young people. My sister's friend's death created a huge news flash for me.

My sister's friend, Taylor, was a very sweet, smart guy. He hacked into the grading system at St. Charles Catholic. He changed his friends' grades but was caught. The disciplinarian at the high school scared him. The man yelled at Taylor without a parent present. He also scared Taylor when he told him that the cops would come arrest him. Taylor felt like he had no way out other than suicide. Once he got home from school that day he shot himself in the head. The shot did not kill him immediately. He was in a coma for about a week until the parents realized he was not coming back.

Because Taylor died so suddenly, my sister was going through a very rough time. My mom and I went to church to pray for her and asked others to pray for her as well. My mom's friend asked what happened to him. When we told her, she answered back with an uncaring comment. She said basically damned his soul to hell like she had the power to do so. Catholics believe people who commit suicide have no hope in heaven. This moment made me upset and angry. This woman showed no interest in just letting go of Taylor's wrong and praying for my sister to be happy again.

Ever since that moment, my outlook on life changed. Religion was created by humans. Humans make things up out of fear or happiness. What if everything that the priest says in church is not real? What if Taylor's soul is in heaven and at peace even though he took his own life? I started to not go to church and listen to the clergy. I feel that if you are a good person, you will receive the reward of seeing loved ones again. However, if you do wrong and make no effort to change your wrongs, I feel that there is a place where your wrongs will be paid for.

Therefore, I believe the things people do should not define their true personalities. Sometimes people may fake who they are in hopes of being "cool" in someone else's eyes. I think God sees through the barriers that other people cannot break through and judges you off of your true character. Unfortunately, without Taylor's death I would have never realized that people are so much more than what they display.