‘It’s okay not to be okay’
Greetings,
A few days ago I was walking along the path above the East Sands and saw this plaque on a bench:
It piqued my curiosity. I had a look online and it seems to be part of a mental health and suicide prevention campaign called #ProjectTAG which has a facebook page. An article in Fife Today online from 2018 describes how a group of friends has created Project Tag, placing positive and supportive messages across north east Fife.
It’s okay not to be okay. A lot of people may not be feeling brilliantly okay at this time, for all sorts of reasons. Being ill, fearful of what will happen, not able to be with people we care about, worries about how safe it is to go out, to work, to go shopping, to take exercise; boredom, overwork, fears about money and the future patterns of work, getting a job, missing graduation, fed up at social distancing going on and on, mental health issues being harder to cope with, losing someone we love. And you may have other reasons for feeling yuk.
If ever there was a time not to be okay, this is it. It may be perfectly reasonable to be worried, to be fearful, to be feeling low. But what this bench tells us in six words is not to be down on ourselves for feeling down. It’s okay. Nobody expects a tennis player to feel “okay” when they win Wimbledon. They feel ecstatic, joyful, relieved, almost unbearably happy. Or feel “okay” if they lose a final they knew they had on their racquet. So perhaps we should allow ourselves to feel different from normal in these abnormal times. (I for one will miss Wimbledon hugely. I’m just hoping against hope that Strictly survives….)
But I think those six words, and their presence on a “Thinking Bench” also tell us that feeling pretty crummy needn’t leave us without hope. There are things we can do. The facebook page suggests reaching out to others letting them know how you are doing, dancing on your doorstep on Friday nights, relaxation exercises, doing a scavenger hunt indoors, avoiding excessive exposure to media coverage, reading, watching films and much more.
The thinking bench is deeply thoughtful. Thank you #ProjectTag.
The thing that may help us when not feeling okay is worship. Here’s the invitation to tomorrow’s service. Hope to see you there, no matter how you’re feeling.
Donald MacEwan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: University Worship for Sunday 26 April
Time: Apr 26, 2020 11:00 AM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98773808104?pwd=WEJhaUVYMXFjbk5wbm1vejlWbW9uUT09
Meeting ID: 987 7380 8104
Password: 8pQXWC
Yours,
Donald.