Reasons to be cheerful
On this overcast day in London, when Piccadilly was crammed with people hurrying to get somewhere—pushing prams, pulling suitcases, dragging recalcitrant children behind them—I took a five-minute detour through Green Park. What a difference. Suddenly I was walking on grass instead of concrete, passing empty deck chairs and mature trees. The traffic and noise of Piccadilly was still there, in places only a few metres away behind the hedge, yet I was in a park of quiet beauty and simple grace. Solace.
It’s so easy to get dragged along by a tide of people heading in one direction, trudging along a concrete pavement.
And on this rainy day I have a confession to make. This week I started ‘liking’ other blogs. It was a cynical ploy to get more people to like mine, but the blogs I liked were so compelling I started reading them. And the joke was on me because I discovered what an extraordinary community of people this is, all willing to share their thoughts, hopes and fears. I’m drawn towards the happy blogs, the ones that remind me to be thankful for what I’ve got. To count my blessings.
So I thank all those brave people who shared their stories and opened their hearts. Our hopes and fears are not that different, whoever we are and wherever we live.
And as George Eliot said, ‘What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other?’
I look forward to reading more.
14 comments on “Reasons to be cheerful”
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I'm a writer based in Australia with a passion for gardening, remote places and people with a story to tell.
Strawberries in the Desert 
Completely agree about community. In the v short time I’ve been blogging I’ve discovered some wonderful blogs and a very supportive network of people. Go for likes!
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Thanks Ruby (and thanks to your very supportive owner as well!)
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You’re very welcome!
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Beautiful words! I enjoyed reading your post 🙂 Your ‘ploy’ worked on me 😉 Keep writing!
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Thank you for saying that (and for stopping by!)
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I liked you because you liked me, but I did really like you. You’ve had an interesting life so far so I will follow you. Sounds a bit like a creepy love letter but we all know it is just tech talk!
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I can cope with tech talk when it’s in French! I’ve loved reading about your adventures in France (no, really, I did!). It takes me back many years to when I fell in love with a Frenchman while I was a student in Normandy. And your blog makes me hungry. I’ve just come back from Loire Atlantique, where I met up with my courageous friend Jane who embarked on an extraordinary adventure in France when she retired. Check out the Dream Wheeler page for more info. Best wishes, Deb
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This will be one of the only summers I will not be in London. I miss it so much already.
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There’s something special about London in summer, when the trees are in full leaf and the grass seems to grow beneath your feet even as you walk on it, and how good are those ‘Boris Bikes’! Thank you for stopping by my blog
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Thanks for the like! LOL! And the comment.
I can’t imagine living in the big city and not have grass under my feet. These are lovely shots.
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Thank you Ladyfi, I can’t wait to get back to the country!
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I want to thank you too! In the little contact I’ve had with other bloggers, I’ve always been sucked in, and I’ve always really appreciated it. And congratulations on your memoir! That must be so exciting. Happy writing!
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Hello Deb, love that photo of the deckchairs blowing in the wind, so quintessentially evocative of british summer and a long long way from Broken Hill! It’s a struggle sometimes to find reasons to be cheerful, but you are so right to remind us that we should.
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Hi Kate, yes a very long way from Broken Hill! Hope the summer weather improves for you. If not, keep smiling through the clouds.
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