These pictures I took of The Golden Gate Bridge in October of 2004. Upon seeing this bridge for the first time, I was in awe of its majestic splendor. It is absolutely the most beautiful man made modern monumental structure that I’ve ever been in the presence of.
And I remember at the time in rhetoric I asked, “I wonder if a lot of people commit suicide by jumping off this Bridge?” Niels, a friend who resides in San Francisco replied, “Oh yeah. A lot!” He then added some statistic about the bridge being the #1 suicide landmark. Well, little did we know as we were standing there, a documentary film about jumpers, was being shot by Eric Steel, called “The Bridge.”

That year 24 people had jumped to their deaths. The film captures this haunting phenomenon as you watch people who look over the railings. “Will they do it?” you keep asking your self as the camera follows isolated people looking out yonder to the depths bellow. It’s not surprising to me that many people in the lowest depths of their emotional pain with access to the bridge would choose this as the place to literally make their step to the other side we call death. There is something mystical about this bridge. It’s not hard to see that it could be seen, as a portal to that unknown place they believe will give them relief. The way that the fog roles over this bridge often allowing dispersed pools of sun light that illuminates its golden orange finish and it’s setting between a cavern-ness landscape parting the Pacific ocean from the bay, one can’t help but feel that this is a place of Devine presence.

With interviews of the loved ones, this film titled “The Bridge” is ultimately about suicide. Suicide is not that uncommon of a problem and although I have not had any of my immediate friends or family that has chosen this path, I can name four friends that has known some one who has. The most recent incident happened a month ago and I can assure that leaves a devastating wake. And viewing the testaments in this film one might be able to learn of some of the signs a person gives who is seriously contemplating it. We all should remember that suicide is the result when a person’s emotional pain exceeds their ability to cope with that pain and they loose hope for a remedy in life. If you know any one who might be thinking about it refer them to this site:

http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

Cause last night, through out viewing this film, I couldn’t help but think, “Don’t do it!”