Two people I know have been very open on Facebook about their struggles, both at the present time and in the past, and both have been brave enough to allow me to use their comments.
One was prompted by my blog over the past couple of days looking back at Hethersett's Open weekends of 2010 and 2011.
David Wyatt was the winner of the Hethersett's Got Talent show in 2010 and was asked back the following year for a guest slot in the competition.
I was quite moved when David responded to my blog with the following message:
"I Remember the talent contest well, the unknown back story of my participating related to a personal health fight of a long recovery from depression and life long anxiety. Through going on stage on the finals night that objective was achieved better than I anticipated, literally life changing. I was also lucky my wife captured my part in the event on video which incidentally is online on You Tube and I was invited back the following year for a musical support spot. For me the event marked a huge change for my own quality of life which continues to this day. Thanks to Hethersett community spirit."
Sometimes we overlook the profound affect that apparently small things have on people. To think that David is still benefitting from something that happened almost a decade ago is a wonderful testament to the community spirit that existed and still exists in our village.
Just this morning Andre Smith, who many will remember for all his excellent work in supporting the community in the early days of lockdown, posted a hugely moving message on Facebook which he has given me permission to reproduce. It came with a warning that the content might be rather upsetting for some people.
"Friday morning I left my house, walked out on my wife, children and dog. I was going to kill myself. I hadn't figured out how but that's what I wanted to do. Clearly I didn't do that. I spent hours driving around the countryside of Norfolk, crying, hurting, thinking, exhausted.
Numerous phone calls from the police to see where I was. Knowing they would be tracking my car whilst I just needed to clear my head.
This is me. The happy go lucky, gobby, annoying, rude, obnoxious prick you all know me as.
I wasn't "sad" or "down" I just felt empty. Now in reflection I couldn't pin a moment or a reason. I still don't have one. I'm "not" depressed, I don't need medication. I'm just ….
I am doing very well financially in lockdown, I have a wife and kids who love me, I have a home, a decent car, money.. in fact I have almost everything I want... but on Friday something just wasn't right.
After a few hours to chill I started to get calls, from people I don't really speak to, from friends, from passing associates. I am loved. I do have people around me and I'm here, typing this long arsed status most of you won't even bother to read and I'm "ok".
Now to the serious point, if I had died on Friday I wouldn't care. I wouldn't have to explain to my kids why I was never coming home, to my parents why I wouldn't need to borrow a tenner again, to my clients why I didn't invoice this month, to my wife that she didn't do anything wrong.
If I died I wouldn't end my confusion or emptiness I would just pass it to others to deal with. Would my children understand that daddy loved them? Or would they think they upset me?
Would my wife know that I love her beyond words? Or would she think that little argument the other week was the cause?
If anyone on my friends list or otherwise EVER EVER EVER feels like they are at the point of despair then please call me, text me, message me on here. I will drop anything and come to get you, anywhere in the UK I will come. You don't have to speak to me, you don't have to listen, but I will be there.
Mental health is mad - nobody can control it, I can't explain how i feel or why I feel and if you want me to sit with you in the pissing rain whilst you try to figure it out then shit, I'm your guy.
And hopefully that day never comes, but if you feel low, or sad, or empty, or off I'm ALWAYS here for a chat, your family are always there, your friends are always there and there are people who care about you and love you - no matter who you are or what you have done."
So many people hide their true feelings. Andre talks about being known as gobby and annoying but that obviously is a front for somebody who is fragile. How many times have you come across people who seem outwardly confident and together but then suddenly dissolve? So, as they say, never judge a book by its cover.
So many people immediately responded to Andre's brutally honest Facebook message with messages of support - showing just how much he has been valued during lockdown.
When it comes to mental health I would just like to adapt a mantra that is doing the rounds at the moment. My simple message is "All lives matter."
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I have added a couple of new subjects to my Hethersett Historic Project. These are a history of the Memorial Playing Field and a linked article on the Welcome Home Committee which raised funds for all those servicemen returning to Hethersett from the Second World War and also played a major part in the setting up of the playing field.
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Our Steward Stroll today was around Norwich. Found some interesting areas that I had never been into before and I hope you find my photographs a tad thought provoking. I bet there are few people who can say where all of them were taken. I was particularly surprised to come across a war memorial just off Rouen Road.
I do find it amusing that the word "quarter" has entered the vocabulary of towns and cities around the country. You can see from my car park sign that the word has been added to two of the Norwich car parks. To me the use of quarters is a continental thing - think Spain etc. It somehow seems alien in a place like Norwich - as if somebody has just tried to be trendy. Not sure how many quarters Norwich currently had but I shall employ the language police to make some arrests if there are more than four!
Finally you will see the name Christopher Barringer on one of the commemoration stones. Chris lived in Hethersett until his death and I am currently reading his "History of Norfolk." So there was a Hethersett connection on our stroll.