Suicide and listening

i received a call today from a friend who shared that he was contemplating suicide. i thought that was ironic because i had just taken a class yesterday on "suicide prevention." i was glad that he shared what he did with me. Many people think about it. Some do it. Some attempt it. We all have friends and family members who experience this. Many of us have, as well. So, what do we do? The thought of it can push buttons in us of wanting to fix the person. We panic at the thought of death. We will go to any length to prevent it. OR we can simply listen and understand that listening is a gift. We think that we have to do something active to prevent this.
Listening is an action and a big gift!