Friday, February 1, 2019

Dear Friends,

I hope that you are braving the winter as best you can. It has been very cold both outside and inside but I am thankful that we live in a part of the world that is used to these kinds of temperatures and are essentially ready for them. I have to remind myself that it often gets this cold every year and that this isn’t anything new for us. I still sat closer to the heat vent this week but hopefully with a little more perspective. I think yesterday morning, trying to button up my coat while slipping down the ramp outside of my apartment building, I was reminded of how great it is to have a nice warm place to retreat to in the bad weather. And I was also reminded of all the people who would be able to choose not to brave the cold and the commute and stay inside by a fire or something. We have to find warmth where we can find it in this world. Sometimes that means staying home, and sometimes it means going out even when you don’t want to do so. This past Wednesday was the Bell Let’s Talk Day, held the past number of years to raise awareness about mental health and match social engagement with their platforms with donations to mental health causes. I think these are important discussions to be had. I may have some issues with the ethics of using mental health as a marketing tool, and questions about where and how that money is spent, but on the face of it this is a good effort to break open the stigma of mental illness. Living with these kind of conditions can be isolating, and can leave you out in the cold. But there are warm places in the world where relief can be found. That emerges differently for different people, and it is important to be aware of how a person’ circumstances will affect whether they can brave the cold or not. But I think was Trinity offers is a potential remedy for isolation. Though the hallways in the building are sometimes a little cold, the warmth of the community and it’s impact on those people who experience it is definitely a break from the conditions outside. As we each go on our own journey and confront our own issues, whether outside or inside, there is a community there to offer a warm refuge. Let’s talk more about that.

With love, Scott

“ When I was child, I knew I had superpowers.” (Deeyah Khan)