Please don't send

Please don't send chain letters, chicken soup for the soul or any other thing that you think is beautiful and just has to be read. I don't want cheering up, encouragement or motivation. I don't want to know that other people are worse off than me and doing fine. I am already depressed and you may just be responsible for me chewing through my own wrists.

Don't send sad stories about children that are sick or abused or neglected. My heart already aches for all children and the lives they lead. It aches for the scars mental and emotional that are placed on them daily. It aches for the fact that I can not hold them and wipe their tears away.

Don't send me images of wrecks, disasters or anything that jars my soul. I don't want you to share your macabre nightmare interests. I am already interested in weird people and their strange behavior. I do occasionally see disasters on the news and I try really hard to avoid it. In fact I try to avoid a lot of things so you are wasting your time by sending me these things.

Send me lots of jokes. I love to laugh and it is good for my health. Send me funny pictures and funny stories. Send me something that I can send on without feeling guilty that I am filling someone's mailbox with junk.

Send me your thoughts and ideas about how you see the world, send me news of your well being. And if you feel down or depressed, you can ask for comfort. I can handle that. Send me photos of your life or just a note to say hi.

I don't need the thoughts, games, letters, images or gifts forwarded from strangers. You are my friend, my network, my contacts, it is you I want to hear from.

Before you push that forward button, please think of this plea.