FORTITUDE - A SHORT STORY ON SUICIDE PREVENTION

FORTITUDE - A SHORT STORY ON SUICIDE PREVENTION
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In the US: https://www.amazon.com/Fortitude-Swetha-Sundaram-ebook/dp/B081XCZV7L/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fortitude+swetha&qid=1576344398&sr=8-1
In Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Fortitude-Swetha-Sundaram-ebook/dp/B081XCZV7L/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fortitude+swetha&qid=1576344527&sr=8-1
In India: https://www.amazon.in/Fortitude-Swetha-Sundaram-ebook/dp/B081XCZV7L/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=swetha+sundaram&qid=1576344567&sr=8-8

Fortitude is a short story about suicide prevention. The high school students in India face a lot of pressure and challenges; because of the population size and the highly competitive environment often, even an average of 99% is not sufficient to secure admission in a good university. “According to  2015 data from the National Crime Records Bureau, 8934 (6.7% of all suicides) students are committing suicide every year. That's ONE STUDENT EVERY HOUR!  Inspite of being the advanced states of India, Maharashtra holds the first place with 1230 of 8934 suicides (14%) and Tamil Nadu holds the second place with 955 of 8934 suicides (10%).” [Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_India]

Fortitude is a short story about suicide prevention. Life is not a bed of roses may be a cliché, but it is the crux of our experience in this world. Our experience in this world is cyclic; we feel the twins of joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, heat and cold and so on. Our life is like a pendulum that swings both ways. Often at times of crisis, it is important to know that our life will definitely return to normal. We need to know that the Sun always shines at the end of the night. 

 
Fortitude is termed as “Dhairyam” in Sanskrit. The Sanskrit word “Dhairyam” loosely translates to “courage”. We have heard people say that those who committed suicide lacked “dhairyam” i.e they lacked the patience to endure the tough times. If they had been patient, they would have been rewarded with better things in life. 

Newton’s Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. By committing suicide people do not evade consequences. Whether in this world or the other, the results of one’s actions will always catch up with us. By committing suicide people do not evade the sins because one can never escape the accumulated karmas. Whether in this world or the other, karma will always catch up with us. Suicide only adds additional sins to the karmic account; after all, every action has an equal and an opposite reaction.

There have been problems faced by people during every century whether it is a massive famine, world wars or economic downturns. History teaches us that things always improved and that people always recovered from the problems they faced in their lives. In Alberta, we are going through a significant economic downturn. Times are very tough, but this is something that Albertans have endured in the past. If we wait out the tough times patiently, we will definitely be rewarded in the future.ac

 Fortitude is a short story about a high school student, Raj in India. After seeing his final exam results, Raj finds himself spiralling down the vortex of self-pity and considers the unthinkable when he meets a stranger who changes his life.