A place to take a quiet moment

When Ren Haskell's friend told her about a colleague who had taken her own life during work hours the tragedy became a catalyst to the women creating a quiet space in the middle of a busy city for people to reflect and relax.

During a work break the colleague stepped out for a short time but when she failed to return, staff members later learned what had happened.

"My friend was of course devastated about what had happened so we looked for a way to help people when the tough things happen to them and around them," Ren says.

Ren had been working for the Hari Krishna movement at its café in Water Street, Whangarei in Northland, New Zealand.

The HK movement ran a programme to help the homeless and children from low decile schools by providing meals - particularly breakfasts based around the well-known motto: 'feed the body and feed the mind'.

"I went to Buddi - the movement's leader and apparently they had considerable difficulty growing vegetables in the small garden next to the movement's café. So he told me the land was ours to do with it what we wanted and said they entrusted us with it," she says.

So the healing garden was created in the former vegetable patch and has been going for a year now.





Community at heart: Ren Haskell and friends have created a sanctuary where people can relax and reflect when the difficult times come.  

Ren says she realises people can 'chill out' or take time to think anywhere, such as the beach but it takes the cost of fuel to get there and it's not the same as a purpose-created space where it's needed.

"The idea of a healing garden being in such a central place is that people may be stressed by work or by life's events, they may have just received that dreaded phone call with bad news, or even hearing a certain song that brings back memories out of the blue. They can take time out at a place that is close to where they are at that moment," she says.

The garden is surrounded by a wall where people can sit and enjoy it.

She says although the small 4 metre by 10m space is in a busy area of the city, the way it is set out gives people that feeling of solace and fresh air, with something beautiful to look at.

Ren is starting to organise monthly gatherings at the garden, where people can bring something to exchange with others; such as a plant, or ornament and they can share their experiences if they want to.

"When I've been working in the garden, often people will come and talk to me about what they've been through, so that's how I know about many traumatic things that have happened to and around people," Ren says.

Hearing these stories has shown the garden is therapeutic as well as a place to enjoy, she says.

Do you know of any ideas that have been created in your community to beat the stresses of life?

Tell us about them as they may help others facing difficulties.

Beating the Odds

BTO.

Inspiring Kiwis lead the way

This guy in the link below published in the Northern Advocate is an inspiration to all.

Being recognised, for his selfless work in helping youth, months following his death at only 30 years old.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11542760

People like this are great losses to not only their families and friends but to their communities.

This guy had pushed the boat out for local youth, even in the face of being ripped off at his café.

But he still saw the need and filled it.

In talking about selfless people, I often consider how lucky we are to be in New Zealand when I see the violence and oppression in other countries.

I have been proud of Kiwis small and great, generally.

The All Blacks - with the actions of Sonny Bill Williams giving his medal to the young boy in England last week and now the team taking their strongly-fought Rugby World (Webb Ellis) Cup to a hospice to share with people who are going through their last moments in life.

The above examples, I like to think, are what being Kiwi is all about.

However, I've been really disappointed in some attitudes that are not in agreement with SB Williams gesture and I agree that although they have been accused of wrong, the inmates at the detention centre at Christmas Island need their country to stand up for them in at least ensuring basic human rights are adhered to.

In the two cases, referred to in the immediate latter, lets put the Kiwi back in our approach to these situations and lead the way on the international scale.

Just an opinion. Would love to hear what you think.

To your health!

Beating the Odds - BTO

Former foster child's heartening story from displacement to family love

In the wake of the recent negative report on the performance of New Zealand child welfare organisation Child, Youth and Family (CYF), this heartening American former foster child's story below, is inspiring.

Steve Pemberton: An inspiration to foster children all over the world. Photo - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cdnnIt0s4Q

I think we need to remember CYF here in NZ is an organisation run by governmental legislation which is created by various people and organisations based on professional knowledge and experience.

Perhaps we need to ask: Is society being a bit too harsh on organisations like CYF? CYF is people who are charged with the unenviable responsibility of sorting out social issues at grass roots level, particularly in regard to displaced children in dysfunctional family situations. The responsibility entails doing what is best for the child and it would seem that it doesn't always come out right. When it doesn't, it sometimes sadly, has devastating effects on children who are totally reliant on the state to ensure their ongoing care, wellbeing and overall safety.

It is easy to pick up on the negativity though, especially when it comes to vulnerable children but it would be good to hear about the CYF success stories too.

One can only imagine how exacting the job of keeping children safe must be and how there would be little room for error, as one child slipping through the cracks is one too many.

American former foster child Steve Pemberton found a place in this world after having been rejected as a child and it would appear, had difficult foster experiences during his young life.

But he survived all that to find his feet and later, also found the love of his life in wife Tonya and the couple have three children.

There are various talks and presentations by Steve Pemberton on YouTube, I'm sure you will find interesting.

Would love to hear from you!

Have you been a foster child?

Tell us at Beating the Odds about your experiences. You can use an assumed name or remain anonymous in the comments if you wish. Your story might help someone else.

To your continued health and wellbeing!

BTO

Encouraging thoughts

This group has some great thoughts to share so I thought I would post this URL on my blog for others to enjoy.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/108449557877765188939/posts



 

 

It's so important to keep the positive things going in this sometimes difficult world we live in.

 

There are a lot of people hurting, struggling, ill, down on their luck, displaced, among other things that challenge the human spirit in so many ways.

 

I think it's great for us to encourage each other as much as we can.

 

I've been inspired by several people over the past few months having spent a short time back doing journalism work.

 

Meeting people who seem to find their way to accepting their lot without grumbling, is incredibly inspiring.

 

I hope you are encouraged by this group's sayings and thoughts as I have been.

 

To your health, joy and general peace of mind!

 

Beating the Odds - BTO

 

Find us on the pages below. We'd love to hear from you!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beating-the-Odds/832374606804901?fref=ts

http://beatingtheoddsblog.blogspot.co.nz/

 



 

A much loved music icon gone too soon

Fame journey: Enduring entertainer who is now at rest but will never be forgotten by people all over the world who loved her records and her great sense of fun and stage presence. Photo - Lisez Ceci.

 



The passing of another music icon has come as a great shock to the world.

Cilla Black was probably a regular on most radio waves and television screens in the 1960s and 70s.

She had that vocal depth that would have fitted the American music market well but unfortunately, was another one who never seemed to be accepted there.

Once dubbed one of the richest women in Britain, the late veteran singer and television presenter charmed audiences around the world during those years.

I remember my father saying, as we watched her television variety show in the 70s, "she has a wonderful stage presence, that girl," he'd say.

Described by friends as funny and a lovely person, Cilla Black will be missed all over the world.

Hits like Anyone Who Had A Heart and Alfie, of course not forgetting her signature song which opened her tv show, Step Inside Love will never be forgotten.

We wish her family our deepest condolences and we will have to enjoy reruns of all those great songs.

Cilla seemed to have gone into retirement over the past few decades and appeared to be enjoying life in places like Barbados and Spain.

Well, she earned it and it is hoped that the latter years of her life were happy ones.

We thank her for all the happy memories she gave the world.

Beating the Odds

BTO

 

Dealing with a debilitating phobia



Appropriate: Thought this quote fitted the item below well. It takes strength to find our way out of some of life's most difficult challenges.

This story about a woman who suffers from selective mutism - a condition I had never heard of.

Take a look at her story: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33507287

There are so many of these debilitating phobias that people suffer from and just reading about this poor woman really makes you thankful for your situation.

I admire how she is studying her degree in psychology with a view to helping other people in the same boat.

There are many phobias of various things and situations and it's hard to know what triggers many of them.

I only know how difficult they make life for sufferers.

What are some causes of phobias?

The following website has some information about phobias; types and possible causes:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249347.php

Do you suffer from a phobia?

Tell us what life is like every day for you if you are living with a phobia. People's experiences often help others with what they face daily.

Wishing you well!

Beating the Odds

BTO.

A routine health check reveals a scary condition

Journey to wellness: British woman Kelly Luff has beaten the rare condition of melanoma of the eye. A reminder to keep up with health checks. - Photo Daily Mail - United Kingdom.

This young British woman's Beating the Odds story is inspiring but scary and highlights the need for us all to keep up with our health checks.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3159780/The-deadly-skin-cancer-EYE-one-virulent-cancers-malignant-melanomas-DON-T-just-develop-sunburnt-skin.html

Just in the process of taking her son to the optician, Kelly Luff decided to get her own eyes checked and that process showed she had cancer of the eye.

As this story points out, there are many other health issues that can be identified by eye tests, including other eye illnesses and even diabetes.

But Kelly managed to beat the disease and keep her eye.

As she said, eye cancer isn't very prevalent and not something you hear about much at all.

So this diagnosis was the last thing she would have been expecting.

Although melanoma is often associated with the skin being exposed to too much sun, it's amazing how many people seem to get it who are not sun bunnies at all.

We wish Kelly well with her continued recovery. Hopefully, she is one of the lucky ones!

Let us know if you've had a brush with melanoma, or any kind of cancer. It might help someone else facing the same thing.

Beating the Odds

BTO.