Remembering I Kill Giants!

It may not appear obvious but there is something that you do that very few people know. It is something that you do in almost every single part of your life. It is something you do not always realize you do but is something that you do more often than you realize. You  What you do more than you ever realize is that you kill giants!




I recently read Joe Kelly's "I Kill Giants" for the first time. It is one of the best things I have ever read. Told from the child's viewpoint and how a child would react to certain situations. It is funny, sad, and ultimately inspiring. Whilst I will not say anything specific about the plot, it is highly original and certainly had me invested and wanting to know what happened next. The ending was satisfying in a way that is very rare these days. The moral of this story is clear and reminded of two things.

Firstly today is World Mental Health Day. Approximately one in four people will experience a problem relating to mental health each year. Yet despite this mental health and in particular depression and anxiety related conditions are largely prejudiced again. Job applications can get turned down on this basis of previous even the work place. In the U.K. and in academia I feel that there is the impression that we can always function with less sleep. This clearly is not the case, we need to maintain our mental health so that we can function normally. Increased awareness of the importance of mental health will hopefully start to combat this prejudice. Everyone who has or knows someone who had mental health difficulties is aware of how much this can affect that person. It can become a personal giant, one that they must slay in order to progress forwards with their life.

Secondly, today was also the first day of the European Adolescent and Child Disability Conference. This is a conference about various childhood disabilities ranging from Autism, Cerebral Palsy to Rett Syndrome. The delegates at the conference vary from paediatricians, researchers, consultants and parents. Here I have been able go to talks about a variety of developmental conditions. Not only do individuals with these conditions face the adversity from their conditions, whether that be difficulties with social interaction in Autism or movement in Developmental Coordination Disorder and Cerebral Palsy. Their are several other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression that are also prevalent in these conditions. I find it warming that the focus of intervention and how to help these individuals is one of the key focuses of the conference. It also serves as a reminder that these individuals overcoming their own giants is so inspirational for me.

These are massive giants for people to try and overcome. I do not have these particular giants in my life but I do have other giants to overcome. I have overcome my own personal giants in both my personal and work life. Sure it is difficult but I got there in the end and whilst it may not have always been plain sailing, I never gave up and was fortunate to have a good support network around to help me. 

There is a running theme in "I Kill Giants", there are numerous situations where the main character faces and they are sometimes unsure of what to do. Despite this they overcome their adversity.

People are stronger than they think. Sometimes they get strength from others actions.