I have been so bored today that I took out my guitar and started playing it. I am quite bad, as I only took lessons for a couple of months back in junior high, but I needed something to pass the time. I was thinking about taking lessons again, but I realize I don't want to actually practice—I just want to be good without putting in any effort.

I was learning to play the song "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton. As you probably know, it is about the death of his child and whether his child will recognize him in heaven. It is a very touching song. I have given up on learning for the moment though, for my fingertips ache from playing too much.

The Clapton song got me thinking about life and death issues, and so I had to turn on the Soul Asylum song "Runaway Train." I listen to that song every once in a while, and it always makes me think about this walk I went on for suicide awareness put on by a nonprofit called SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education). Before the walk there was a presentation, and at the start of the presentation some people who looked to be in their late teens and early twenties (presumably suicide survivors) sang "Runaway Train" with accompanying guitars. It was touching, and the whole experience was almost too much for me to handle without crying. The organization was selling T-shirts for the walk, and people would write the names of who they were walking for, along with the birth and death dates. It was a bit overwhelming seeing how all these people have been affected by suicide. There were parents, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters.

This year's walk is coming up. I think it might be next weekend, but I'm not sure. If I find out, I will let you all know.