R U OK?

Today is R U OK? Day.  


To quote the website, R U OK? Day is

"a national day of action which aims to prevent suicide by encouraging Australians to connect with someone they care about and help stop little problems turning into big ones."

More than 2000 Australians suicide each year, and for each person who suicides there are another 30 who attempt to take their life.  Men are more likely than women to take their own life yet rarely do we talk about it.  These are shocking statistics that we can change, we can make better.

Most people don't openly share their problems or talk about how they're feeling, particularly if they feel like they're struggling.  Feelings get bottled up and buried.  Little problems turn into big.  

We're conditioned from an early age to tough it out, to put on a brave face, to not show our weaknesses.  But that's not helpful.  Asking someone if they are okay opens the door for them to ask for help.  And asking for help can be the hardest question of all.

So today, start a conversation that could change a life: ask your brother, ask your sister, ask your mum, ask your friends, ask your neighbour, heck ask your bus driver, "are you okay?"  Show them that you care and that you are there for them if they need your help.  

I'm okay, are you ok?

Friends rock

Last night we had some friends over for a BBQ. 

We had such beautiful weather during the day that it would have been criminal not to!

Our guests last night were Mr & Mrs Paddy - once customers, now good friends.  A good time was had by all, lots of laughing and joking and eating too much followed by the BEST (that's right, the best - I'm putting it out there!) Pavlova I reckon I've ever eaten.  Given that both Mr & Mrs Paddy are kiwi's I shouldn't have expected anything less (though Australia lays claim to the pav I'm sure it originated in New Zealand!).  Div-ine! 

Obligatory food porn shot.....yummm....blueberries, strawberries, passionfruit,
cream & chocolate on a pavlova shell....double yum!

I restricted myself to only one serving knowing that any more than that and the sugar rush would have me awake until dawn.  The leftovers are currently sitting in the fridge tempting me - eat me, eat me, EAT ME!!!  Must....resist.....

Anyway, having Mr & Mrs Paddy over got me thinking about friends as I drifted off to sleep.....the LOML and I don't have that many friends, we pretty much keep to ourselves, but those we do have are keepers.  Genuine people we have gathered into our lives over the years who enrich us and make us better people.  Some we've known since the dawn of the ages, others have only come into our lives in the last year, but good friends all.

I also got to thinking about how different our friends are - from each other, and from us, yet our 'common-ness' connects us.  Regardless of our backgrounds (where we grew up, where we live, what our life goals are, what our religious beliefs are etc) it seems to me that we are linked by our mutual respect and acceptance of those differences. 

Last weekend we caught up with our Muslim friends from Jordan (for coffee that saw us leave 6 hours later!), this weekend our New Zealand friends who are contemplating Australian citizenship, next weekend we're hoping to have dinner with our devoutly Christian neighbours.  It makes me feel so good to have such good people in our lives - different in so many ways, and yet so much the same. 

I consider myself very fortunate in my friends.  xxx

Compassion & Understanding

My region is currently recovering from a major natural disaster. 

We have had numerous deaths as a result with that number to increase as the recovery effort finds more bodies.

Thousands of people have lost their homes or had them seriously damaged making them now unliveable.  These people have lost everything. 

It is a terrible time.  A tragic time.  The whole state, indeed the nation, is reeling from the suddenness of this disaster and the strength and scale of its destruction. 

On the whole, everyone is pulling together and showing the community spirit that comes to the fore during such times of extreme trauma.  Helping each other out and offering much needed support and consolation.

I have noticed, however, some comments on social networking sites that I consider quite judmental and certainly not in the interests of compassion and understanding.

These comments are in response to people, on their own sites/ social networking page, thanking God for their own health and safety and calling on God or praying for assistance for those who are struggling and need help. 

I personally can see nothing wrong with this.  However the negative comments are quite judgemental and condescending.  It upsets me that these people, who preach tolerance and respect and espouse living a 'life of Christ', are the same ones posting judgemental comments and being dismissive of other peoples'  need for emotional and spiritual support. 

Basically these people are dismissive of other people finding/ recognising/ calling on God during times of tragedy such as this.  Sure, I understand your view that a person should have prayer and God in their life all the time, that is central to your belief system, but is it a bad thing for a tragedy to turn people to God?  How do you know God isn't in their life already?

And, if I haven't had God in my life to date, are you saying I can't ask for help now?  When I need it most?  Who are you to say that this situation hasn't made me realise the existence of a higher almight power.  If I am made to feel bad for praying during a trying time such as this, I can tell you now, I am certainly not going to during the good times.

I can appreciate that these people are young - at an age when they know everything (don't get me wrong, I knew everything too when I was their age) - but I would have thought that their grounding and upbringing in Christianity would have instilled in them a higher level of understanding and compassion for others.  Particularly during such an emotional time as this.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not passing judgement on them.  Heck, I'm far from perfect myself and I admire their strength of faith.  I'm just questioning their actions against their espoused beliefs - to me they are contradictory....