I continue to search for someone who can be a kidney donor for me. If you feel called to be a kidney donor, please visit my website and call RI Hospital Kidney Transplant Center at 401-444-8562.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. One of the best mental hygiene strategies is to be aware of your safe spots. As a school social worker in East Greenwich, RI, I taught elementary school age students how to identify their safe spots. I would ask the students to draw a picture of their safe spot. Some children drew pictures of small spaces like being in a tent or under their bed where they could snuggle and hide. Others drew pictures of large spaces like a tree house or the beach that gave them a beautiful view. Some drew pictures of their parents or friends holding their hands and it did not matter where they actually were. I tried to convey the idea that whenever we feel uncertain or afraid, we can always mentally go back to our safe spot.
One of my safe spots is a lake in Cape Cod where as a child I vacationed with my family. It is called Long Pond or Pleasant Lake and is located in the town of East Harwich. When I think of this spot, I can actually feel the relief, the calm, the abundance of family support in laughter and good times. Here is a picture of my brother Kevin and I visiting this lake again
