Posted By Daisy
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| www.marcjohns.com |
AT DINNERTIME yesterday, a little boy I know laughed so hard that milk came back up his feeding tube from his tummy, and overflowed out the top of the funnel. Everyone in the kitchen laughed with him, and for the next few minutes we sang the funny song ('Wild Thing') and cracked up as we watched his delighted gasps push the milk levels up again.
Despite the numerous curveballs that life has thrown at him, that boy never stops laughing. It was the loveliest moment of the day.
As an antidote to the recent grey days, and the dread of the next few wintery months - being spat out of packed, steamy tubes into the dark, rainy evenings for a shivery trudge home, wrapped in scarves and gloves and wet wool coats - I recommend the following books:
This book is for 'instant moral fibre' and there is a selection of poems for every eventuality e.g. Breakups, Don't Let The Bastards Get You Down, Love etc. When in doubt, read Wendy Cope or Dorothy Parker - they make misery funny.
'The Happiness Project' is a book-length-gee-up to remind yourself to 'Quit Slacking and Make Things Happen', and even provides practical tips on how to do so. I haven't picked up the book in a long time, but find Gretchen Rubin's daily happiness quotes and monthly newsletter fascinating.
And if all else fails, settle down and watch re-runs of 'Murder She Wrote' while eating freshly baked banana bread dripping in butter, accompanied by a large mug of tea and a tartan blanket. Works for me anyway.
