I slid the printout of an invitation I'd been emailed across the kitchen table to her.
It was inviting me to a morning tea hosted by the National Mental Health Commissioners Janet Meagher and Jackie Crowe as part of the Commission's Contributing Life Conversations Project.
"We are keen to hear your thoughts on what 'A Contributing Life' means to you..." said the invitation.
Me?
"Why the hell would these important people want to hear what I had to say?" I asked mum.
"I haven't had a paid job in nearly six years. How can I talk about a 'contributing life'?"
My initial response was to not accept the invitation. I'd already said yes to another blogger function about working with brands anyway.
Days went by and I checked out the Commission's website again and looked further into the initiative. The more I read the more I realised that I had to go. The fact that my first thought was that I don't contribute anything to life meant it was really important for me to go as a sufferer of a mental illness and as a blogger with a voice.
And there it was: A blogger with a voice. A tiny voice in this massive blogosphere, but a voice nonetheless. Here is where I make a contribution.
Of course I contribute in a lot of other ways too. I am a mum to a beautiful little boy. That's one hell of a contribution right there! And that's what the Contributing Life Project is all about. Getting a group together - family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues - and sitting down to have a chat about how we all want a meaningful life, whether we have mental health issues or not.
The Commission is encouraging people to meet up between 22 July and 11 August to discuss the four following questions:
Question 1: What's important to you in having a meaningful life?
Question 2: What helps you to have a meaningful life?
Question 3: What gets in the way?
Question 4: What would make the biggest difference to your life (top 3 things)?
If you would like to host your own event further details of the initiative and event packs are on the Commission's website but I thought I'd host a "Contributing Life Conversation" right here in my space and you're invited. I'd love to know what gives your life meaning and purpose. I've certainly got a new understanding of my own sense of purpose since thinking about the above questions.
If you feel comfortable answering any or all of these questions, I'd love it if you'd type your answers in the comments section below (or email me if you want to keep them private). I can then collate the answers, anonymously of course, and send them on to the National Mental Health Commission. They will then use the information to gain a better understanding of what can be done to help drive meaningful improvement for the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians.
So will you talk to me?
V.
