Balance and harmony

By Emmie Z. Joaquin

The new bike helmet law goes into effect this month of May. In this issue of Pilipino Express, we have made this our front-page news so that everyone will be made aware of the new regulation. Please follow it and get the kids their own helmets, if they still don’t have one. Summer is too short not to enjoy it with the family.

The month of April was very stressful. Our senses were bombarded with the visions of terrorists in our midst brought about by the recent Boston marathon bombing that killed and maimed scores of innocent people. For all of us here in Canada, the threat became more real when the RCMP foiled a terrorist attack aimed at bombing a VIA Rail line in Ontario. These unfortunate events, among other scary incidents that happened these last few months, can definitely bring stress and anxiety to us who just want to live a normal life.

Maintaining good mental health is very important if we want to sustain balance and harmony in our lives. But how do we do that when there are so many uncertainties that surround us? How do we teach ourselves to conquer our insecurities, stress, depression and fear?

It is in this spirit that we are now introducing Pilipino Express readers to our newest columnist. We are very proud to add the name of Cheryl Dizon-Reynante to our roster of contributors. Cheryl is the founder of Nexus Counselling and a licensed counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She has experience helping people with issues such as grief and loss, relationship difficulties, depression, cultural adjustment and other concerns that may affect their mental health.

Cheryl was born, raised and educated in Winnipeg. She is the daughter of Virgilio and Anita Dizon. She is married to Jake Reynante and the mother of three wonderful sons.

I invite you to read her column, Building Bridges, which begins in this issue of Pilipino Express. She writes about Reducing Stress: Steps Toward Mental Wellness on page 10.

Mother’s Day is on May 12. Remember to give your mother a hug and thank her for her unconditional love. Happy Mother’s Day to all our precious moms!

E-mail Emmie at editor@pilipino-express.com