Sometime this afternoon, a client of mine began to rip through a pile of boxes he has not yet unpacked, urgently looking for a Mickey Mouse mouse pad. In a flash of insight having nothing to do with the project I was working on, I suddenly understood why Mickey Mouse rose to such fame during the depression.
I’m not much of a cartoon follower, but I find there is a lot of comfort in good books written for kids. I found my way to the early Harry Potters that way – though I find myself avoiding the infamously dark last installment at the moment. Instead, a boy I met on an airplane introduced me to a series about Percy Jackson and The Olympians (as in Greek gods, now lodged in the invisible 600th floor of the Empire State Building). Written for 9- to 12-year-olds, the books are a little Harry Potterish, but more action-oriented and a little shinier. Well plotted, well written, and solid on the Greek mythology; but mostly I just like spending time with Percy and his friends. Creative, determined, courageous – everything I like to be reminded is possible in the midst of turmoil.
Do you have a secret non-pharma anti-depressant? A movie you sneak off to watch yet again? A song you just have to sing in the car to get you ready for work? A never-miss hiking trail? A fragrance that transports you to a perfect moment?
What do you do to remind yourself to wonder instead of worry? I’m thinking this is a really good time to make a list and hang it someplace it will be visible every day . . . .
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
The Nightmare Before Christmas! It combines my two favorite holidays, has wonderful songs by Danny Elfman and has a blindly determined protagonist who wants to do good so badly that he makes a terrible mess. As Mary Poppins would say: Practically perfect in every way!
Penelope, thank you for this. Though I don't find myself pouring over potter when I am in that place of worry or fearfulness, I try to get outdoors. Even just a quick trip to catch sight of the ocean or view things that are so much more than my fears helps me to re-engage, so that I can begin to contribute again. So glad you created this blog. Can't wait to see what you do next week or in between! Muchas Gracias!
Thank you Penelope for this thought provoking post. Whenever I need a little cheering up I turn to my dogs, Rowdy and Bogey. They make me laugh each and everyday. Asking for little and giving with ever fiber of their being, animals provide such comfort.
Post a Comment