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NOT SO TINY THINGS

Wednesday Jan. 28, 2015     


When we are up – up on luck, up on ourselves, up on every measure of math that self-proves success is ours and well-earned, there is little that can convince us we are wrong.

When we are down – down on luck, down on ourselves, down on every measure of math that self-proves success isn’t our friend – there is little that can convince us we are wrong.

These are mostly rather normal vacillations, for most of us have mostly good days most of the time.

Maybe we need help …

Seriously, we all over-do our positive and our negative self-talk.

Around us, people we know, are experiencing something else – spirit crushing emotional pain, dark thoughts. It isn’t momentary or temporary for them.

In recent days we have been bombarded by media messaging on mental health awareness – mental illness awareness.

This time of year when winter-blahs, college stresses and general post-holiday and gloomy weather times conspire significantly to spike suicide stats and produce depressing depression stats, people are dying at their own hand or wishing they could.

Awareness is great, concern is important.

Actual action-steps to help those in trouble, most important of all.

We need to look beyond our mirrors.

Need to look around our workplaces.

We can’t make them a shining light just by being one, but when we shed some attention someone’s way we make their day a little less gloomy.

Outstretched hand.

Smile.

A kind word.

These are tiny.

Barely a thought required – unless you are on the receiving end, and when you are, sometimes little gestures shift someone from sad to not-so-sad.

To life from death.

Reach out.

To someone.


Mark Kolke

P.S.: when in doubt, reach out to everyone

column written/ published from Calgary, AB

morning walk:  2C/35F, cool and quiet, crunch of frozen grass underfoot – Gusta bypassing her usual sniffs – she had wind of something fresh and live … so we went quickly. We found nothing but it was pretty clear her nose was after something more compelling than rabbit …

 

Reader feedback:


BE SHINY

Love it!, LG, Calgary, AB

Something as simple as a smile can make a person's day since your smile could be the only smile they get all day.  Smiles are pretty shiny.  GW, Bon Wier, Tx

 

 


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