R U OK Day – Carrying Each Other’s Burdens
One of the most stressful jobs I ever had was working in the creche of a gym. It was one hour a morning of monitoring little people ranging from six months to four years old, as their parents got buff. They usually kept themselves entertained, and I saw my job primarily as being there to prevent injury. It is with great shame that I admit there was at least one time where I failed. Dismally. One little person (let’s call him Stan), aged just two, was attempting to flip the truck tyre, normally used as a bench, just like he had seen his Mum do at the end of last week’s class. I did a quick risk assessment and deduced that there was no way I (at the time a brand new gym member) and Stan (at the time approximately two feet tall) would be able to even budge this tyre. So, seeing the potential for fun, I went over to help. To my surprise we lifted the tyre about one 1 inch off the ground. I put the tyre down ready to celebrate with Stan, until a high pitched shriek drained away all feelings of success. Stan, still squatting next to the tyre, was stuck. Little fingers wedged between ground and tyre. His big brown eyes were staring straight into mine. He didn’t need to say anything, I knew he needed help.
R U OK? Day, hosted on Thursday 14 September, is a beautiful excuse to start a conversation with someone who you love. Putting your hand up to help carry a burden. I knew Stan needed help but that didn’t mean anything if I didn’t come and take some of the weight. Asking the question is important, but listening to the response is where the magic happens. There is the very real fear that in response to “are you okay?” someone you love will say no. The cool yellow promotional material disappears, the badge you were proudly wearing sinks with your chest and now you know someone you love is not okay. What do you do then? The truth is, that answer will vary but it is always okay to be scared. To feel overwhelmed. But these feelings need a response. It’s important to realise that discovering someone is not okay does not now transfer all responsibility to you to fix it. I did not have to lift the entire tyre. Galatians chapter six calls us to carry each other’s burdens; not to have all of the answers to every problem. One inch off the ground was all Stan needed to be able to free himself. He needed someone to see he wasn’t okay and then do what they could about it. I couldn’t lift the entire tyre. But Stan didn’t need me to.
Joanna Curtis | Secondary School Chaplain
