Life on Edge, Addendum

...My Bahai Perspetives Editor sent me a link to this story as it seemed timely given my most recent post. I am at a total loss for words at how unfortunately timely, indeed.

Here's an excerpt from the article, "Suicides from financial crisis cause concern":

Adding to financially tense households is an air of secrecy. Experts said it's common for one spouse to blame the other for their financial mess or to hide it entirely, as Balderrama did.

After falling 3 1/2 years behind in payments, the Taunton, Mass., housewife had been intercepting letters from the mortgage company and shredding them before her husband saw them. She tried to refinance but was declined. In July, on the day the house was to be auctioned, she faxed the note to the mortgage company. Then the 52-year-old walked outside, shot her three beloved cats and then herself with her husband's rifle. Notes left on the table revealed months of planning. She'd picked out
her funeral home, laid out the insurance policy and left a note saying, "pay off
the house with the insurance money."

"She put in her suicide note that it got overwhelming for her," said her husband, John Balderrama. "Apparently she didn't have anyone to talk to. She didn't come to me. I don't know why. There's gotta be some help out there for people that are hurting, (something better) than to see somebody lose a life over a stupid house."