Good morning readers. I haven’t posted for a couple of weeks because it has been a whirlwind of a time recently. May is always a busy month for me, because I like being outdoors during this month. The weather is lovely. It’s finally ‘summery’ here and there is much to do in the yard and with my flowers. I try to do something outside every day. I have played golf a couple of times and have been out on the boat too. I walk my dogs every day.
May is Mental Health month. Being outdoors and enjoying the sun, piddling in the yard, all of those things makes me happy. It is good for me mentally and physically.
The reality of the need for good mental health hit hard a week ago. My Facebook friends have probably seen that I have put up some posts about the suicide of wonderful young man from my church. He was only 16 years old. Finishing up his sophmore year. He was from a really good family. His parents did everything right for him… but, for some reason that we may never know, he took his own life. It has been totally devastating to many and yes, we are all reeling from this loss. It is the second suicide in two months from the local high school. The month of May should be a time of celebration as the school year ends, but the students here are sad, scared, and fearful. They are wondering, as are the adults…what is going on?
I think in our community, and in our country, the pressures put on our youth is like no other time. Yes, growing up we all had school work, sports, etc. but something really seems different now. I love social media but I know it can be a tool of hate and bullying for teenagers. I worry that from the president on down we tweet and Instagram and Facebook in a way like never before. Words hurt. Meanness is becoming acceptable. It’s just so easy to be mean online.
Occasionally I find myself in a ‘discussion’ about politics on Facebook – and I use that word loosely. People lash out at each other. And…..wow, the bad language used! I am amazed that so many adults feel it’s okay to speak/type that way.
Does it seem that somewhere along the way we lost learning about respect? Remember the threat about washing your mouth out with soap if you say curse words? Parents taught their children to say ‘mam’ and ‘sir’ here in the south.
I was lucky that I grew up in a home where curse words were not used. Never. It was not accepted. We rarely heard raised voices in the house.
Language has changed. Words hurt.
Is there a connection between this and our mental health? How can there not be? How we speak to each other is how we treat each other – and it’s how we accept each other. Teens are at a vulnerable age where words really matter. They need words of reassurance and of acceptance. They need to hear they are loved.
Their mental health depends on it.
Marla’s Musings 