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One small silver lining… Had a good boogie lately? When did you last get caught up in the moment? Tried something a little different lately? When did you last really catch up?

These questions have been popping up on ‘feel good’ posters all over Christchurch for the past year or so. They make you smile, make you think and sometimes even make you act.

As there is perhaps one tiny silver lining of people’s lives being severely shaken by the Canterbury quakes.

We can of course never erase, trivialise or forget those who have suffered greatly by losing family, friends, workmates, homes and businesses.

But all 350,000 or so of us now share something in common. We discovered simultaneously how just a few short seconds can change our lives and our city. And then over the weeks, months and years that followed we also learnt that thousands of quakes, EQC reports, insurance claims and road cones can test even the most resilient of souls.

So many Cantabrians are now aware for the first time that not only does their physical health need looking after but also their mental health.

Canterbury’s All Right? mental health campaign (see p.14) was set up to help Cantabrians help each other through the tough times with tolerance, humour, exercise, compassion and giving. The campaign centred on the Five Ways to Wellbeing to prompt people to do the things that help boost and maintain their wellbeing; and it lead to those whimsical posters.

Not all love them – Cantabrians are as divergent in views as any community – but they have struck a chord with many, like me, who realised that sometimes they were so busy getting on with life that they forgot to prioritise the ‘good stuff’ like fun, family and friends.

And the silver lining? Well maybe, just maybe, the rest of the country doesn’t need to go through a disaster to realise just how important it is to look after their mental health and wellbeing. So when was your last moment of wonder? When did you last really catch up with your best mates?

Fiona Cassie
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