Here is the next of the beautiful, inspiring, special contributions coming in to the #MandalasForMarinke remembrance project. I am grateful for each and every amazing contribution. You are invited to join; learn more here.
Beautiful Crochet Mandala
This beautiful crochet mandala is an anonymous contribution that came with the message:
There are no words – only sadness for a beautiful life lost.
Thank you Marinke for what you gave us all.
As for my humble mandala, I chose Pink for Wink!”
It’s not humble at all – it’s a beautiful crochet spoke mandala with a red button in the center and lovely sparkly white yarn on the edging.
Words by Wink
Wink recapped some 2014 “fails” for us and started with buying an amazing yarn and not using it. She wrote:
“So what have I done with those lovely soft, lush, and gorgeous skeins of yarn? Well, besides winding them up into yarn cakes: absolutely nothing. I guess I have been waiting to use this yarn until I found the PERFECT pattern for them, which I never found because there isn’t enough yardage on these skeins for most of the patterns out there. I could have bought some regular white silk yarn (which I almost did, on multiple occasions) to increase the yardage, but then I’d be right back where I started; finding the perfect pattern for the skeins! 😉 I know what you’re thinking, and I’m starting to realise it too: I might have raised the bar a little too high for these perfect little skeins…”
Loving and enjoying the yarn doesn’t sound like a fail to me at all!
About Depression
One purpose of this project is to raise awareness about depression so each post will end with some facts, thoughts or quotes about depression, suicide and/or mental health. As I mentioned yesterday, this is National Suicide Prevention Week. Let’s talk about warning suicides for suicide …
A recent study shows that there are three factors that increase the likelihood of suicide by 50%. They are:
- Risky behaviour: this could be reckless sexual behaviour, dangerous driving or some other form of risky behaviour.
- Agitation: walking around the room, adjusting clothing, wringing one’s hands etc..
- Impulsivity: suddenly doing things without thinking about the consequences or planning.
All three of these are signs that a person is not in a purely depressive state but rather a “mixed” state, combining depression with excitation or agitation, which significantly increases suicidal activity.
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education also identifies these warning signs of suicide, several of which are related to the mixed states behavior described above:
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself.
- Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or buying a gun.
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
- Talking about being a burden to others.
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
- Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.
- Sleeping too little or too much.
- Withdrawn or feeling isolated.
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
- Displaying extreme mood swings.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has a lot of good information about what to do if you know someone who is suicidal.
All contributions to Mandalas for Marinke are welcome and will help raise awareness about depression while honoring her work in the same way that this great contribution has done today. Details to join here.