#BellLetsTalk – The Lisa Chronicles

Breaking news…it seems to be part of our way of our day to day life the past several years. We are all used to those words interrupting our day, social media feed, television programming and radio. Perhaps in some ways we have become immune to it because it seems to happen so often.

I remember last year after the van attack on Yonge Street I was talking to Heath on the phone that night, and he knew I wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. He knew I was watching the never ending loop on TV. He didn’t like me watching that, as he knew it affected me. We talked again, two days before he passed away about the shootings on the Danforth. Again, breaking news.

Something very random and strange happened to me on Friday night and has been playing on my mind over the weekend. As we approach #BellLetsTalk day tomorrow I wanted to be open about my mental health while dealing with grief.

Friday night I had gotten home after a long day of travelling home from Winnipeg. Once I was home and settled in my condo I was sitting on the couch with my iPad. CP24 has this “Breaking News” piece with the headline.

Hawaiian Airlines flight diverted after flight attendant dies mid-flight.

What the heck? Right? Of course I am now clicking on the post and reading the article. The article proceeds to tell the story of the plane flying from Honolulu to New York and being diverted due to the emergency on the plane. How they attempted to help the attendant but were unsuccessful before the plane landed where it was diverted to, San Francisco.

You may be reading up to this point and now are confused. I realize that as I am writing this that it may not make sense. Heath passed away from a heart attack on a plane. The plane was diverted from its final destination, much like this breaking news story.

I remember thinking back at the time about the passengers on the plane how they would be feeling, the attendants and people who unsuccessfully tried to help. These passengers landed in San Francisco and the article says that they were put on other flights. I would assume the same thing happened on the American Airlines flight Heath was on that day.

I am not sure why this particular article was such breaking news for a local Toronto Television station, for an airline that doesn’t even fly to Canada, for a route that wasn’t even coming to Toronto.

I wonder, was there a breaking news story in Pittsburgh on the day Heath’s plane was diverted there? Maybe there was, who knows? The event itself, for this flight attendant, for Heath and for anyone else affected, was of course newsworthy. Breaking news worthy? Maybe due to the fact that this was a flight attendant, it’s possible. Who knows?

Why share this you may be asking? I guess it is for my own personal navigation. That these blind spots come out of no where and take a hold of you. Just when you think you are managing with the day to day, wham. It gets you.

In the spirit of #BellLetsTalk day, thank you for allowing me this space to share with you. It helps. It really does.

Until next time, live your best life,

Lisa

Today is #BellLetsTalk day. It is a day to bring awareness on Mental Health issues. I don’t know about you and the friends that you have, but with a lot of different people in my life this is an ongoing topic of conversation. We are having #bellletstalk daily.

Life is challenging. Not all people think that they have mental health issues, but I think more do than they realize. Have you ever just felt like not getting out of your pajamas or taking a shower? How about not wanting to go out with your friends or talk on the phone? How about crying for would appear to be no apparent reason? How about feeling like every one you know is moving and you are standing still? Well guess what, those are mental health issues.

We all have bruises. Some are visible but others are not. Sometimes it manifests itself outwardly like passive aggressive behaviours on social media. Maybe you have done it and not even realized your comment was exactly that. Sometimes what you don’t say is almost as important as what you do say. Passive aggressive comments on facebook are more often than not written for a reaction, a “like” or a comment. Your friends will give you the “rah rah” cheer of approval. Others may look at it and know that it is more than that.

One of the things that happens sometimes is that people get pushed away. While it is true that everyone has their problems, everyone’s are their own and different. There is a saying that if everyone put all their problems in one big pile you would be guaranteed to take yours back. That may very well be true.

Reaching out is hard. While you are going through whatever it is you are going through, you may not really want to hear about your friend’s issues, whatever they may be. You need to keep trying. Friends often tell you what you want to hear, not necessarily what you need to hear. Tough love isn’t easy to give or receive. Everyone is responsible for their own actions and reactions. Sometimes you even get unfriended on Facebook or stop calling or your phone stops ringing.

I am trying to say a lot of things, without being too specific. It is hard. Ellen Degeneres ends her show every day ‘be kind to one another’. I would also say not to give up on your friends that may have dropped off the grid for a while. Since today is #BellLetsTalk day, reach out and send a message to just one person. If everyone reached out to one of their friends today, think about the impact of that.

Live your best life,

Lisa