Carer's Week: 14th - 20th October

The National Depression Initiative: Beyond Blue is recognising carers this week. I take my hat off to those who care for someone suffering with depression. Carers are all around us. Those tired looking people who work with you all day and then go home and do a second shift, patiently, lovingly with family or friends. Some of the students at my school are carers for parents with mental health issues. It's a big job. In most cases you will never hear about it. It reminds me to be kind to everyone, just in case they are carrying a bigger load than you know.

If you want more information Beyond Blue is a great site. There's a lot of information for all kinds of concerns.

Courage to Care

This week has been excursion week for me. I think I have overdone it a little. I've been out 3 out of the general 5 working days at school. On Tuesday and today I went to Leongatha to the 'Courage to Care' exhibition. We took all our year 9 students to this event and since our school motto is 'Strong Minds, Compassionate Hearts', I think it was a valuable use of time.

The stories and speakers were courageous and focussed not on the horrors of their experiences but of the heroism of those who supported their survival of these wicked times. The exhibition has display boards of stories of the righteous.

The discussion groups after the talks and viewing the display helped us to apply the lessons and to see how we must retain our humanity and resist prejudice, treating all people as humans.

Free Hugs by Patti Digh

37 Days, one of my favourite blogs, has an article on 'Free Hugs', it is a must read. Unless of course you saw it already on '60 Minutes' on Sunday night in Australia. It is a beautiful clip and it is easier to direct you to Patti's site than to search for it myself.
I'm tired tonight. Maybe I need a hug.