Do you know some fascinating facts that bring conversations to life and which light up your face when you share them? Fascinating facts are like ideas in that they can be shared in a way that both parties benefit. The one who knows the fascinating fact keeps their knowledge even though they have given it away, whilst the other person is enriched with a new gem of an idea or fascinating fact!

What has this got to do with wellbeing? We Moodscopers are here because we know how depression can empty the soul of the desire to do anything. Self-neglect can slide in and before you know it, it becomes an effort to get out of bed and clean your teeth. Until you have experienced this emptiness, it is very difficult to either understand or respond to.

At the moment, I have to force myself to take action. Everything is an effort – an effort I resist. However, on Bank Holiday Monday, I got myself together and went to Sherborne Castle. Here, I was treated to the most engaging guided tour I can remember. Bill, my guide, was full of fascinating facts, and with each fact, his face was alight with humour and enthusiasm. I’m told, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” His life-spark broke through my personal doom and gloom – and lasted for hours afterwards.

Did you know that you can borrow that spark too?  I have been able to share some of Bill’s gems with others in conversation, and have felt a lift every time I’ve shared. We even talk about, "enlightening others." So, I wondered if you and I could pause for thought, and share some of our own fascinating facts with one another. Not only will we enrich one another, but my hope is that we will feel uplifted in the sharing.

If I may borrow from Bill, I’ll give you a couple of examples. Firstly, ‘Skirting Boards’, comes from the boards that protected expensive wallpaper from being shredded by hooped skirts rubbing against them. That very same wallpaper had stiffer origins than our modern, clever rolls. Originally hand-printed, the wallpaper was fastened to a hessian backing, which was attached to boards. These boards needed to be ‘hung’ – hence the phrase, “to hang wallpaper.” (Of course, Bill, may have been winding us up…)

You may have the time and energy to share a fascinating fact or two with us in the comments. When you do, I’m curious to know if sharing brings a spark to your day. Here's to a very enlightening day!

Lex

A Moodscope member