Reasons to Be Cheerful was the title of a song by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Strictly speaking, it was Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3. It was part of the soundtrack to my teenage years.
Naturally the song is upbeat (and there is a poetic feel to this too. Another great one for writing poetic lyrics is Ray Davies of The Kinks. I think Waterloo Sunset is a fabulous, evocative song).
Following on from my Murphy’s Law for Readers last week, I thought it would be good to have a reminder of some reasons we have to be cheerful.
Lady can’t understand why humans who used to pet her are not doing so any more. I find it distressing not to be able to make a fuss of friendly dogs I know. I swear they all think they’ve done something wrong. I also believe they do know humans are behaving oddly now. That said, when things do get back to normal again, I have a long list of friendly dogs who will be long overdue a fuss from yours truly.
And I’ll be looking forward to going to The Chameleon Theatre Group’s next production whenever that may be.
So reasons to be cheerful then, and send in your nominees – this is meant to be a feel good list and the longer that is the better!
My Nominees
Spring is here! I am enjoying seeing the primroses, daffodils, bluebells, and the other delights of the season out in full bloom. My camellia is also flowering well and it has been lovely, as I’ve walked Lady, to look at the wonderful gardens. Gardeners of Chandler’s Ford, I salute you! Well done, all. The colours are fantastic.
There are rainbows everywhere – on paintings, chalked on the pavement etc – and they are lovely to spot. Many of these have lovely messages with them too – keep smiling, have hope etc.
There are soft toys appearing in windows too. I have a soft spot for these. I know the idea with this and the rainbows is to give kids something to spot when out on their walks but it’s giving me (and I have no doubt other dog walkers) something to see too! You would have to have a heart of stone not to smile at a teddy bear and I don’t come into that grouping! Nor would I ever wish to!
The weather is good. Come on, it’s April. I’ve known it to snow in April. Let’s at least enjoy the good weather – safely of course! The weather is definitely not something to be taken for granted.
Being Appreciative
I’m finding people are more chatty and friendly, at an appropriate distance, when out and about with the dog. There is a sense of community reappearing.
It has been good to find Chandler’s Ford Help doing good in the community. Well done to everyone behind that. Nice stories are always encouraging and we could all do with those.
We have the privilege of living in comfortable homes with enough to eat and drink and plenty of different ways to be entertained, though naturally my first preference is for books with music. It’s not either/or. It’s both, always. And yes I am really treasuring them now.
This is a passing phase. It is a question of how long it goes on for. The thought of it being temporary (though it seems like forever now) is encouraging. Encouragement is a good thing.
Technology has proved to be a boon. I hadn’t heard of Zoom a fortnight ago. Since then I’ve been on it for writing link-ups, a family get together which was great fun, and an Easter Sunday service including communion. (Yes, I brought my own bread and wine! Actually it was Vimto but the colour was right and I know Methodists tend to use blackcurrant squash and things like that so I’m in good company. I also hope the thought of Vimto made you smile too – it made my minister smile!).
You know you’re not going to take your freedoms for granted again when we get them back. That, I think, is a good thing too.
It is a question of when and not if. Sadly that is not true everywhere. Maybe we’ll have a greater appreciation of that and be more sympathetic to the persecuted.
People will be glad to get back to work! Now there’s a thing…
We will be more appreciative of cleaners, the NHS, food suppliers, the supermarkets and those who work in them, the posties, dustbin people etc. I like the Thursday night clapping to show support idea at 8 pm. Appreciation is good. We all crave appreciation deep down I think. The Thursday night idea breaks through traditional British reserve and helps us to demonstrate that.
Family, Friends, and Squirrels
We will all be glad to see our friends and family again. There will be some lovely reunions going on up and down the country. That is something to look forward to. In my family, there are a few 50th birthdays coming up so celebrations for those are on hold until whenever, but we do hope to have a big get-together, as and when we can, to make up for things.
I enjoyed Ray Fishman’s piece with photos of things spotted on his walkabouts. I too have expanded my horizons a bit in that, to make the most of my exercise session with the dog, I’ve taken Lady to places I’ve passed by for years (such as actually going through the Cuckoo Bushes footpath, which is lovely). What discoveries locally have you made?
The squirrel has been finding its way on to our so-called squirrel-proof bird feeders, much to my amusement. It balances between the two of them. I can’t say it looks comfortable but the squirrel manages it well enough. (Before you ask, I will be lucky to get a picture of that!). Naturally it waits until Lady is safely indoors. Just as well too… Lady is the fastest dog I’ve owned (or likely to own).
What You Love Most
The Classic FM Hall of Fame has been a treat for the ears, though I was disappointed two of my choices dropped down the charts considerably. I chose Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens (the first faller), Jupiter from The Planet Suite by Holst (the only one to rise appropriately enough), and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams (minor drop. Would like to see it at No. 1 at some point). Music is important, regardless of what kind you like, in helping you feel good. There has been more time to listen to it. I welcome that.
The things you have always loved will mean more to you now. For example, if you love going to concerts, what will be one of the first things you will do when restrictions are eased? Yep! Get going to concerts again. I bet you’ll end up going to more than you usually do because you will want to make up for things.
One thing I am missing is walking with my better half with the dog in the evenings. The reason we’re not walking together is to ensure Lady gets her full quota of exercise and she does need a fair bit being a young, active collie cross. So I’m looking forward to resuming those and of course based where we are, as I’ve mentioned before, there are places we can get to easily enough and without travelling too far. It will be good to return to those things. But one thing I am enjoying are the sunsets. We have had some splendid ones recently.
You do appreciate how much you love those closest to you especially when you can’t see them and that is the best reason of all to be cheerful.
Love matters. And more of us will be even more aware of that now than we’ve ever been.
Keep well and safe, everyone.
Related Posts:-
Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.
Read blog posts by Allison Symes published on Chandler’s Ford Today.
Never miss out on another blog post. Subscribe here:
Thanks for keeping our spirits up, Allison. We are trying out a Zoom coffee morning today. We can offer one another biscuits but then eat one of our own. Which of us will have the ‘best’ biscuits on display?
A quiz night by Zoom seemed to work quite well. My team came last in the competition which seemed fair. It is surprising what new things begin to develop. Some of them will continue afterwards.
Other things that we worried about previously no longer exist and it really doesn’t matter.
You’re most welcome, Mike. Zoom is fun and will prove to be very useful though it will be lovely to be able to get out to church, concerts, the Chameleons again. Really looking forward to that. Meanwhile, take care.