In Hong Kong, 74% mental health sufferers do not seek help. This statistic comes from MindHK. It represents something deeply wrong in our society. Get healthy Then care What’s the value of a life? In God’s eyes each person is of infinite value. We have a responsibility to ourselves and to those around us to value life. When a person is drowning in depression or other mental illnesses, they can’t see clearly. It may take years for them to recover. They are responsible for their life, but as adults (especially those who are primary care givers) we have a role to play in their lives. Young people and children are especially vulnerable. They need our help.
Relationships are Both Complicated and Rewarding
It’s impossible to engineer a perfect life with no pain. There are just too many factors you and I can’t control. We are not God nor should we try to play the role of God. However, there are things that we can do. Experts and wisdom literature make it clear that there is a path that leads to life and that there is a path that leads to death. Society may or may not choose to walk in the path of life. We cannot nor should we force society to walk in a certain way. Change has to occur from the inside out. Parents are in a unique position because they more than anyone else are responsible for bringing up their child in the way that they should go. A few years ago, I met a Hong Kong parent who told me about her daughter’s struggles in high school. A teacher was demanding that the girl work harder, and asking for the mom to push her to work harder. This wise parent told the teacher no, “I will not push my daughter harder. She will be okay.” Those were turbulent times, but they made it through. The girl had to wrestle through her struggles and value herself for who she was. She couldn’t remain critical of herself for who she was not. I’m told that today she is a happy and successful adult. An important detail to notice here is that neither her mom or dad could deliver her from her struggles, but they did need to be there to support her through them.
It’s Easier to Work with Things
Nonliving things like my motorcycle are much easier to take care of but they don’t offer the same reward. Honda started manufacturing the Honda CB400 in 1975. They are still making it today. When it comes to machines and electronics people try to engineer perfection. We shouldn’t try to do that with people. People need to be able to have a voice of their own. They need to be able to disagree with us and make their own decisions. Honda made my motorcycle to be a fast, fun, economical bike to ride. One website describes it as a rocket ship on 2 wheels. The bike has no say in the matter is was engineer to be certain way. If I take care of it, it should continue to be fast, fun and economical for a number of years to come. In the manual, the manufacture makes recommendations about how often I should change the oil, engine coolant, brake fluid, etc… I try to be aware of these suggestions and keep an eye on how the bike is doing. If I miss an oil change, it’s my fault and if there are consequences to pay I have to pay them. The same is true in our lives. The guidelines for mental health are there. For brief periods of time, it’s okay to take on additional work load, stress in a relationship, skipped meals etc… Our bodies are resilient. The problem for many people is that their boundaries have been stretched thin. They know that they are supposed to take time out to take care of themselves, but they are too overwhelmed with other areas of life.
Choose Wisely
Everyone has to make a choice. God loves people and when we value relationships we align ourselves with something that is eternal. Things are important and necessary you can find pleasure in them, but they should never be primary. People first things second.
