Chaplain's Corner

CONNECTION

I love trees… Growing up I loved climbing them. We had this amazing mulberry tree in our back yard, best climbing tree ever! I loved learning about the lines and rings inside the tree… Each year that the tree grows it leaves a ring. So, you can know how old a tree is by counting the rings!

Here’s another fun fact…

If a birdhouse is hung on a tree branch, it won’t move up higher in the tree as the tree grows. This is because trees grow from the top, they grow from their most distal ends, it means that a branch will always be the same height as it was the day it emerged from the trunk as a little bud.

And then there is that story about the giant sequoia redwood trees in California. They are amazing! These mighty trees are a living parable about the importance of connection, about unity and cooperation. They are the tallest trees in the world, standing taller and living longer than any other tree. Some of them are 300 feet high and more than 2,500 years old.

You would think that trees this large would have to have an incredible root system, a root system that reached down hundreds of feet into the earth. But they don’t! In fact the giant sequoia redwoods have a very shallow root system. So how is it possible that they remain upright during the crazy storms?!

The roots of these trees are intertwined with the roots of the tree next to it, they are all interconnected. They interlock their roots with each other so when storms come and the winds blow, the redwoods still stand. With an interlocking root system, they actually support and sustain each other. So cool!

And actually someone just told me on the weekend, that if one of the trees loses a branch on one side, then the tree next to it would sprout an extra branch or two on that side, just to help prop it up if needed!

I love that these trees can teach us so much about how we should view community. And what a perfectly time message during October.

October is the National Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year the Campaign theme is: ‘Building Resilience: Communities and Connections’

This month encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives, and in the lives of our loved ones. It encourages us to make sure that we have positive connections, and to seek help when needed.

Mental health issues are still widely misunderstood by both the public and mental health professionals. While there is far less stigma surrounding issues that affect the body, health issues that concern the mind still carry some of the burdens of the past.

The Campaign is a chance for everyone to work together to see mental health through a new lens.

If you would like to learn more, or find an event near you, have a look at this link: https://www.mhfa.org.au/cms/national-mental-health-month-2022

And if you have been feeling anxious or overwhelmed, or if someone you know is not themselves. Then it is ok to reach out. It is ok to not be ok. I encourage you to talk to your family, talk to your GP, you can even reach out to us at the school if you need some extra support.

And in terms of doing a little something extra for your mental health…

Here are a few good apps:

An app for meditation: Calm 

An app for adult coloring: Colorfy 

An app for mood tracking: What’s Up? A Mental Health App

An app for sleep: Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep

An app for breathing techniques: Breathwrk 

An anxiety relief app game: AntiStress Anxiety Relief Game 

An app for journaling: Moodnotes

Trying one of the apps for anxiety listed here can help you cope with and manage some of your symptoms. Having some extra tools to confront or embrace your anxious thoughts and feelings can be a great compliment to therapy with a professional. However please do see your doctor if your symptoms get worse.

At BPS we pride ourselves on being like the redwood trees. We are so lucky to have such a great school community, and we aim to hold each other up during the crazy storms of life. So please do reach out if you need to.

Carly Cassidy

School Chaplain

Carly.cassidy@education.vic.gov.au