Mental Health Awareness

For Paul Nicol

---

Hello fellow Steemians. I am writing this with a heavy heart I haven't been on steem to make a post because I found out that 2 and 1/2 weeks ago. I lost a dear friend to suicide he was 43 and his name was Paul Nicol .

)

---

He was dealing with Back pain and had a lot of grief he was dealing with. I first met Paul on my first full time job working on the production line at Ford Motor Company at Broadmeadows. When starting your first job you get assigned a Buddy and Paul was my Buddy. We became friends straight away.

---

Paul was a very free spirit and a Beautiful soul he was a Drummer and we connected on a musical level as well as a spiritual level. I always saw him grabbing his drumsticks and play on something that would give him the sound he was looking for.

)

---

We would hang out at every break time just talking about life and everything we believed in. Paul gave me the courage to get my tattoo's I would have a couple of drinks so I could deal with the pain. My first tattoo was finished in 2h and 20min outline and colour. We would go to nightclubs and dance the night away. He knew I loved whips and chains and made my first Cat of nine tails. When you spend 8 hrs a day every day 5 days a week with someone you get to understand them better than a husband or wife does.

---

Paul was such a great teacher on the job that I ended up being a spare person ( some one that fills in a job for the day when someone is absent) We were not only fast but our work was 100% quality. And if needed could teach other people in 10-15 min time was always something to watch out for on the job or you would end up further from your station to catch up.

---

We loved having a laugh and just hanging out. In the time that we worked together we had a ball and made more friends that we would go out with us and could handle our quirky humour.

---

I worked at ford with Paul for 12 years and some of the best years in my life. Good times and bad he was there for me when I couldn't breathe and when my mum passed away. I am so sad I didn't know how much pain he was in.

---

Just to let you all know a lot of people didn't understand how come we were such good friends and it is sad to say that some relationships (his girlfriends). Please if your boyfriend or partner has a female friend there is no need to tell them they cannot be friends with your partner anymore. Instead let them be friends your partner will love you more for excepting them as well.

---

Paul was all about having friends and his music and his last partner wanted to keep him all to herself so she made them all leave from his life because that is what she wanted. I feel if he had us all in his life I don't think he would have ended his life the way he did. As a Queen song goes friends will be friends when you are in need of love to give you care and attention. I love all of my friends and if they need me I would be there in a drop of a hat. And would drive to the ends of the earth to be there for them.

---

To wrap this up I want everyone that reads this to understand that you are loved and to never give up no matter what is going on. We have all been there in some way or shape either mental pain or physical pain or even money stress you can get through this. If you haven't spoken to someone in years reach out to them be there shoulder to cry on or let them lean on you they will love you even more for it. Don't leave them alone, Stay sleep over, Tell them you love them and how much they mean to you. Life is not the same without them in your life.

---

Lots of Steem Lavender