[2023-09-09] Saturday Synopsis #60 and World Suicide Prevention Day
World Suicide Prevention Day
Tomorrow is World Suicide Prevention Day, which was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization to, among other things, raise awareness about suicide and its prevention.
In its toolkit Creating Hope Through Action, the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention offers these suggestions for helping someone who is struggling:
- Check in with them regularly to see how they are doing;
- Listen supportively to what they have to say;
- Remember that you don’t have to have all the answers;
- Know and introduce them to resources in their area, if they need additional support;
- Be prepared to assist them in finding information, but don’t take over as that may reinforce their sense of helplessness.
It notes that "our actions, no matter how big or small, may provide hope to those who are struggling."
From the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention website: "In Crisis? Call Talk Suicide Canada 1-833-456-4566. In Quebec 1-866-277-3553. Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868. If you’re in imminent danger call 911 or go to Emergency."
Under the Canopy
This week, Chris and I visited the Canadian Museum of Nature and took in the exhibit Under the Canopy: Animals of the Rainforest. Chris loved the two-toed sloth. I was partial to the colourful frogs. And we both appreciated the photogenic iguana (pictured below). Under the Canopy explores the importance of rainforests for the planet. The exhibit allows visitors to see 11 species of live creatures in their habitats, including snakes, a caiman, an iguana, and a two-toed sloth.
3 (+3) Ideas From Me
This is all good practice for ageing. In the years ahead, my body may work differently. My mind may be less sharp. But I hope that I will show more love, empathy and caring—influenced, in no small measure, by my current challenges.
If the connection between a positive outlook and better health outcomes is weak, it is downright irrefutable for the impact of laughter on health. It would appear that the well-known adage "Laughter is the best medicine" is backed by science. Here are just a few benefits of laughter, courtesy of Stress relief from laughter? It's no joke by the Mayo Clinic.
As a manager, I often wondered whether a task I assigned by email was being worked on, especially when the task was time-sensitive. In my experience, two simple words communicated receipt, acknowledgement and action in one fell swoop. Those two words were "On it!"
Lately, I've discovered the restorative benefits of decluttering, organizing and cleaning my home. My daughter's friend has a term for it: "comfort clean." In her Huffpost article Why Cleaning And Organizing Is So Therapeutic When We're Stressed, Krissy Brady explains why tidying up can help us cope with anxiety. Written in March 2020, the article focuses on feelings of overwhelm and powerlessness that many people were experiencing at the beginning of the pandemic. "When things feel far outside our control," Brady states, "we turn to rituals like cleaning to self-soothe.... Cleaning provides us with a sense of control over our environment."
[A] friend and former colleague informed me that he would be retiring in December [and] asked whether I had any advice for people who are about to retire....
- Define your mission or your priorities...
- Plan your activities...
- Invest in personal relationships...
- Keep learning...
- Give back...
- Tackle a project...
- Develop a routine...
- Take care of your health.
After the vet administered the medications that put Freddie to sleep for the last time, I sat with my dog, on the floor of the exam room, alone with the pet who had brought such joy to my life and the lives of many others. As a final ritual, I played "Into the West" by Annie Lennox, the same song I had listened to many times when grieving the passing of my brother Greg. The words were so appropriate for Freddie: he truly was weary, at the end of his long journey: 15 years, 8 months and 2 days.
2 (+2) Quotes From Others
I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.
~ Stephen Grellet
Find a partner who is ready to build with you. It is not about finding perfection in another person, it is about realizing when you come across an undeniable connection that nourishes your being and matches the type of support you are looking for. Getting lost in the idea of perfection is a hindrance. Being with someone who is committed to going through the ups and downs of life together is truly priceless. When two people embrace their imperfections and commit to growing into better versions of themselves, it will naturally enhance the happiness they share in the relationship.
~ Yung Pueblo
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.
~ Maya Angelou ~
It is not "forgive and forget" as if nothing wrong had ever happened, but "forgive and go forward," building on the mistakes of the past and the energy generated by reconciliation to create a new future.
~ Alan Paton
1 Question For You
If today is your last one, what are you leaving behind? Are you leaving the world a better place than when you found it?
~ Kevin Kline (Have a Nice Day)
