Monday, December 7, 2009

Characteristics of good mental heath - reminder


  • Ability to deal with daily chalenges and stress


  • Enjoyment of life


  • Feeling valued by others


  • Good self-esteem


  • Healthy relationships with others - family, friends, colleagues and community


  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g., avoiding alcohol and drug use)


  • Optimism/hopefulness


  • Sense of control and ability to influence change/make an impact


  • Sense of purpose


  • Personal balance between physical, mental, emotinal and spiritual



World Health Organization definition of health, in general:
"Health is a state of pysical, mental and social well being and not just absence of desease or infirmity."

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Balm Beach fence


I remember Balm Beach with no fence. It was a beautiful, long, sandy beach, not far away from Toronto. About an hour and half drive north. Lovely, lovely beach. Fence was erected by, now infamous, Marion family who own waterfront cottage in this area of Township of Tiny. This ugly structure was burned, chainsawed and despised by people who strongly oppose this kind of behaviour: fencing the beach, disabling access to the water for beach goers. Although I disagree with any kind of violence and by no means condone persons who choose to use violence to accomplish their goal, which would be the fence removal, I also disagree with the Marion family in regards with their decision to put the fence on the beach. There must be a greater value than their right to protect their private property. That greater right is the right of people to continue using the beach as they have been for decades. No one has the right to disable the access to the lake water, because they are not the owners of the lake. The lake belongs to everyone who is willing to take care of it. I am hopeful that in the future, the movement for the fence removal will grow out of its "burnitchainsawit" faze and get a really good lawyer who will argue the Marion's family right to protect their private property under Trespass Act.

Here is the article published today in Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/733357--homeowners-win-midland-fence-beach-brawl?bn=1