It’s National Hug Week. Yes, it exists and has existed for 33 years.
Read about how it started, related customs and traditions, and the benefits of hugging. Go to http://www.holidayscalendar.com/event/national-hug-day/ .
Yup. It’s National Hug Week. And what are YOU going to do about it?!
Instead of a quote, today’s Thursday Thought is one reason why Suicide Prevention Week (this week) and Month (September) are so important.
I want to die. Life isn’t worth living. I can’t go on like this. You may not feel like this right now, but you probably know someone who does. The U.S. suicide rate is the highest it’s been in 30 years. It’s up to those of us in a good space to help those in a dark one. We can’t erase all the negativity in the world–we don’t control oppression, war, power-hungry dictators, or devastating disease. But we can keep a positive attitude around others (we never know when an affirmative word or action is just what the person we’re with needs). And we can speak up against public people who constantly spew negativity.
In everyday life we can watch for suicide warning signs (read the signs of potential suicide), keep the Suicide Prevention Hotline number (800-273-8255) handy to give to an at-risk person, and lend him/her our cell phone to call immediately.
Together, giving of ourselves and positive, concerned actions can stop that suicide rate from increasing and bring hopeless people back into the light.
(This is Suicide Prevention Week, within Suicide Prevention Month.)
I want to die. Life isn’t worth living. I can’t go on like this. You may not feel like this right now, but you probably know someone who does. The U.S. suicide rate is the highest it’s been in 30 years. It’s up to those of us in a good space to help those in a dark one. We can’t erase all the negativity in the world–we don’t control oppression, war, power-hungry dictators, or devastating disease. But we can keep a positive attitude around others (we never know when an affirmative word or action is just what the person we’re with needs). And we can speak up against public people who constantly spew negativity.
In everyday life we can watch for suicide warning signs (read the signs of potential suicide), keep the Suicide Prevention Hotline number (800-273-8255) handy to give to an at-risk person, and lend him/her our cell phone to call immediately.
Together, giving of ourselves and positive, concerned actions can stop that suicide rate from increasing and bring hopeless people back into the light.
(This is Suicide Prevention Week.)
Whether it’s the day (Feb. 17) or the entire week (this week), observing National Random Acts of Kindness Week/Day is a pretty good idea. (In case you’re interested the Day was founded by Josh de Jong of New Zealand.)
Use your imagination. Watch for opportunities. You can pay for the coffee of the person in line behind you, give an unexpected compliment, or take a friend’s car (with permission, of course) and get it washed–especially if that friend has difficulty doing it him/herself. Give a warm smile to someone who seems lonely or down-in-the-dumps. You can mow your neighbor’s lawn when you mow yours, take in a neighbor’s trash cans with yours after collections, drop off a batch of cookies to a nursing home, thank the crossing guard for keeping your kids safe…all sorts of things. The act doesn’t have to be big or cost anything; it just needs to be sincere and random.
Gee. Maybe this could catch on and we’d all continue such acts each day of our lives. Imagine what the world would be like.
Happy National Procrastination Week, offered by The Procrastinators’ Club of America, Inc., whose declared aim is “To promote the many benefits of putting off until tomorrow everything that needn’t be done today.” Actually, the Week began last Sunday, March 1, and goes through this Saturday. So we’re half-way through.
As I said, I’ve been meaning to wish you….