R U OK

‘Are you okay?’ These three simple words could change someone’s day.

Earlier this week, a lady I sit next to at a community band looked at me and said ‘You’ve lost your spark! Are you okay?’. I sat dumbfounded for a while trying to digest her question and her forwardness.

Rewind back an hour to when I was sitting in the car waiting for my blood glucose levels to come up after a gym class (pilates of all things). That hypo had certainly drained a lot of my energy. On top of that, I had had a long day running around, frantically trying to get through all my work. And not forgetting the sense of ever-increasing panic when I start to think about what I have left to do.

I felt immensely grateful for her to ask if everything was okay with me. (Though at the same time wondering if I really looked bad enough for her to say something!) It actually made my day being reminded that people are looking out for me (and that I usually have a spark).

One of my goals this year is not to lose touch with friends whom I enjoy spending time with. Even if it’s by sending them a message once in a while to touch base and see how they’re going, no matter how long it’s been since we last spoke. Because I certainly get the warm and fuzzies when I hear from a good friend if we’ve been out of contact for a while.

Seeing that it’s R U OK day today, I hope you do exactly that today. Get back in touch with those close with you and ask how they’re doing. We are so busy with our lives that sometimes we overlook those closest to us. Take some time out; grab a coffee or go for a walk, it may not only help them but it could help you too.