About 30,000 people kill themselves in the United States each year. I think that they're pretty brave-- I know there's absolutely no way I could do it. Consequently, I am quite the aficionado of suicide notes. It's surprising, though, how many of the notes are just petty and vindictive. As in life so in death, I suppose-- but still...
Here are some examples collected at a California coroner's office, from the book Or Not to Be:
Single female, age 21
My dearest Andrew,
It seems as if I have been spending all my life apologizing to you for things that happened whether they were my fault or not.
I am enclosing your pin because I want you to think of what you took from me every time you see it.
I don't want you to think I would kill myself over you because you're not worth any emotion at all.
It is what you cost me that hurts and nothing can replace it.
Married male, age 45
My darling,
May her guts rot in hell -- I loved her so much.
Married male, age 74
This is no way to live.
Either is it any way to die.
Her grub I can not eat.
At night I can not sleep.
I married the wrong nag-nag-nag and I lost my life.
They're not all like that, some are pretty profound.
