It’s not often I read something which resonates so strongly with me that I want to immediately share it. It’s so easy in this day and age to hit the re-tweet / like / re-press button without necessarily stopping to think about the words.

This quote came from reading about Dave Alley’s ‘Race around Australia 2’ – he’s already cycled it, and now aims to become the first person to have both cycled and run around Australia – a 13,383km distance. His website is here. He’s running it to raise funds and awareness for The White Cloud Foundation, an organisation with a mission to help increase resources and improve access to support for people, families and carers who live with depression in Australia.

Mental Health issues affect an increasing number of us yet it remains a taboo to talk about it. Sometimes it can be due to an acute situation which triggers it and with the appropriate help can pretty much be resolved.  In other cases it occur over many years and at best can be managed. Either way, it’s no laughing matter, made that much more difficult because it is an invisible illness. No broken bones, no cast or sling. People who are fortunate to have not experienced depression can find this intangible nature of the illness difficult to comprehend.

So with that in mind, the quote:

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

“This is one of our favourite quotes that really emphasises that we truly have no clue what battle the people around us are facing. They could be your closest friend, brother, work colleague, daughter or someone you walk past in the street.

Take the time to smile at people, open a door for them, give up your seat on the train for them, let them merge in traffic. Too often we are far too quick to judge and criticise rather than listen and congratulate.

Today is the day to start the rest of your life.

Make a decision to be more supportive of those around you as they may be fighting a battle that you know nothing about.

Forgive errors, accept flaws, share your warmth and make a difference in someone else’s life.

They may just be in need of that little bit of energy that you are giving to them”