I apologize beforehand for any dramatics – haha!
My tale is not new or very good- My family moved to Texas when I entered the 8th grade.  I lost all my friends, everything.  I desperately tried to fit in to all of the pre-established cliques- jocks, brains, etc.  Finally, I tried “country”- boots, hat, you name it!- all to no avail.  I still had no real friends and felt alone and misunderstood.  By the time I was in 10th grade, I’d become moody, angry, and finally suicidal.  (Country music did NOT help this feeling!)  I didn’t tell anyone- had no one TO tell!- finally a girl in my homeroom class, Mary Climer (I will NEVER forget her!) must have sensed something was off & I unloaded everything.  She then told me 2 things: 1) “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem” and 2) Listen to Smashing Pumpkins’ Adore cd.  She was a HUGE Billy fan and loaned me her disc.  I went home and listened to the whole thing in one sitting.  Then I played it again, and again, and again.  I returned hers and made my parents take me to the record store to buy my own copy.  For the first time, I felt that my pain and feelings and angst were understood.  I found my outlet.  I no longer cared about fitting in and very slowly, I found myself.   Once I did that- I found people who liked me for me.  I’ve been a SP fan ever since.  (And Mary was in my group of friends to go to our senior Prom.)  I truly credit SP and Mary for saving my life.