Two recent Blogs I’ve written are both hard. Sorry, but my life now is pretty difficult. I do spend some time – usually over breakfast coffee and last thing at night – reading. I have always loved to read and being able to escape right now, is much needed.

A recent read was ‘The Lifeline’ by Libby Page. A nicely crafted tale which has relatable characters and a general ‘feel-good’ factor. What I was not expecting was this:

‘Look, the truth is, not every moment is worth cherishing… but I do like to think about cherishing one moment from each day. So at the end of each day, I try to think of one moment that has made me really smile that day… one thing I want to remember and hold onto. Even if it has been a sh*t day.’

And yes, I know it does sound a bit ‘Pollyanna’-ish… but it is an interesting take, for me, on an old idea.

I suppose it is a variant of ‘What are you grateful for in your life today?’ or whatever. But I need something to help me through the fact that my beloved Jane is very likely dying right in front of me right now and there is nothing I can do to prevent it.

And it is hard. And getting through every day is hard. And I try to make things as pleasant and as interesting for her as I can… but I am struggling so much.

This Blog is about how I have found inspiration in unexpected places; how impressed I am, by my local community. I have felt a bit alienated from them… the saga of the barking dog… and how rude many of the villagers have been about my beloved pooch, is known to Moodscopers already, but I found myself stuck one Friday, and the only way forward was to Ask for Help.

Our village has many Facebook pages; I went onto the main one and posted ‘HELP! I need someone to go to the Health Centre, collect a prescription and then go to the pharmacy to get it filled and deliver it here. The pharmacy closes at 5.30.’ Of course it has to go through Admin first; but it was ‘live’ within 5 minutes! And under 5 minutes later, someone responded saying he was already in the local town, he was now heading up to the Health Centre… and literally within minutes he posted that the prescription had been collected and was now being filled at the pharmacy. He delivered it to our front door before 4pm. Several others in the village also responded positively.

I am quick to form negative judgements; often made up entirely in my own head. Not drawn from facts or from actions; just from ‘hearsay’ or whatever. This is a habit which I can change.

I have been inspired by the actions of the people in my village, and inspired by the writings of a young woman. And I feel better for both.

CMM

A Moodscope member