Heeelllloooo everyone! This right here is my 150th post on this blog, can you believe it? 🙂 In just under a month, I’ll have been blogging for a year.
(Got the image from a Google Search – there are a lot of variations of background. The original link to this picture is here.)
So, I was reading an article in The Conversation the other day. According to the article,
“….happiness is contagious and affects the happiness of others with whom you are connected.
That’s right – according to recent research by the University of Pennsylvania – making yourself and those around you happy is not only possible, but really quite easy. All you have to do, quite literally, is spread the word.
…..
Sharing your positive news also, research suggests, has direct perks for you. Communicating a positive experience you have had with another person heightens the impact of the positive experience itself because you get to re-live and re-savour the experience.”
Check out the full article and its highlighted links above, I enjoyed it and thought the ideas – and implications – were interesting.
For instance: it’s not just fluff that makes people feel positive and enthusiastic – new science discoveries count too.
It also made me think of the poem which heads this post. Isn’t the poem a nice sentiment? So, share your good news, people!
Of course, the reverse occurs too – bad news spreads and negatively affects people, who share the negativity. However, don’t be afraid to share your bad news either. We may be negatively affected by it, but we’ll be negatively affected with you. I saw an opinion piece on another blog yesterday (warning for snark and brutal honesty, which exists in all his posts). The piece suggested that, rather than offering platitudes, our mere presence and offer of support (even silently) can help. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this stated in various ways and I support it.
After all, isn’t that what being part of a community – online and off – is all about? We share each other’s highs and lows, congratulating or supporting as the case may be. That’s what I’d like to think would – and should – occur, anyway. Remember, reach out.
Which brings me to my next part of this post. This week is International Children’s Week – and today is a day of solidarity for children (and their families) in detention. The photo below is of students at Melbourne High, showing what they think all kids should be free to do.
I think that kids should be free to play. Here’s the thing: my job involves hosting kids birthday parties at a particular local centre where I’m employed. One of my favourite things at these parties is watching the kids run or splash around, use the equipment and just have fun. Their laughter and smiles cheer me.
Kids in detention and their families cannot do that. Instead, the endless wait and awful conditions conspire to turn their childhood into a nightmare.
It doesn’t have to be that way though – and the government can put a stop to it. So can the Opposition – or at least they can commit to doing so. Please.
Give these kids back their childhoods. Give their families back their freedom.
What do you think kids should be free to do? (Share please, we want to make some noise about this!)
myzania 