"Fat to Fittie"

After writing my last blog, which touched on the subject of mental health, I received a few private messages from people saying positive things and it made me realise how important this is and a vital part of any journey to a healthier life. It also got me thinking about what it is that can keep you in a happy frame of mind and help lift you when thing’s are looking a bit crap, the answer is glaringly obvious, friends. from the guys that I have a drink with on a Sunday lunch, to those long distant ones that I hardly ever see, but keep in touch with via social media and messages, they are all in their own way a massive part of my life and a reason I stay focused. One of my favourite festive films is the Muppets Christmas carol and one of my favourite actors, Michael Caine sings the line “If you need to know the measure of a man, you simply count his friends”, though it’s clear that sir Michael should never, ever sing again. I don’t have loads of friends, I’m not a 2000 mates on Facebook sort of guy, but the ones I have are all very special to me in their own way and I’m very grateful they’re in my life.

Of course there are many people in the world who have very few or actually no one they can count on or talk to and this is very sad, but at the other end of the scale, there are those who have many friends, but yet are so alone, I think these are the ones most at risk from mental health issues. Maybe it’s because they struggle to talk and feel embarrassed about thing’s but if that’s the case then those people they say are friends, really are not. I can tell all of mine absolutely anything, granted it’s harder to do that through messages or on the phone, so sometimes I don’t get chance but every time I meet with someone, either a coffee at my house, a pint in the pub, or just a catch up, we always do something and that’s laugh, perhaps that’s also the the key to this mental health stuff.

If I was to be completely honest, when my friends and I get together, most of our humour comes from taking the piss, I know that’s not for everyone but it works for us. Take Sunday lunch, it’s 90 mins of just having a laugh, no subject is off limits and anyone of us could be in the firing line, never nasty, just pure fun, that’s when you know you’re with friends and that’s all you need to keep a check on yourself. If there’s anyone you’ve not been in touch with for a while, drop them a line, if you see someone struggling on Facebook, send a private message and remind them you’re here should they need you. If there’s an old pal you’ve not spoke to for years, just ring them up and say you were thinking of them, I did that the last month and the next minute we were stuck together in a car for 19 hours and had a right laugh. Do it today, contact that friend you’ve not been in touch with for ages, make a definite arrangement to meet for a drink, get together with them and have a laugh, you might not need it for your mental health, but maybe they do.