Change and happiness

I've just read an interesting article on the BBC Magazine website which says, in a nutshell, that the key to happiness is embracing change.

Having had a bit of a rant (at least that's the way I read back over it) in my last post on Wednesday I thought I would add this more positive perspective.


In that wonderful film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Maggie Smith plays Muriel Donnelly, an elderly lady recovering from a hip replacement operation she had whilst in India.  She is a forthright and determined lady who says little but misses nothing.  At the end of this inspiring film she looks up from her wheelchair and says (I am paraphrasing) 'things don't normally work out how we intend them to but what happens instead is all the good stuff'.

Amen to that!  Perhaps accepting that and the concomitant principle 'embracing change is the key to happiness' can bring more contentment than we could possibly imagine.  I hope so and I will try and trust those who have been kind enough to advise me that this certainly has been their experience.

The certainty of uncertainty

This may seem an odd title for my new addition to this blog.  But since I last blogged the only certainty I have is uncertainty.  I do not know when I will have to leave my present employment or under what terms and conditions.  I have learned that many people I thought were my friends have used my present difficulties to turn away and in some cases speak untruthfully about me.  I am hurt by this but gradually have come to the conclusion that it says a lot about them and not much about me.  It's difficult to understand how people can appear to enjoy kicking a man when he's down.

However, I have discovered who my true friends are - they say a real friend walks in when the world walks out.  I have found this to be true and I am grateful for it.  People of whom I am very fond still believe in me.   My employers still seek to discredit me and have used my mental health issues as a tool to make this worse.  This is discrimination and I am challenging it.

I have formally complained about much of this and to my astonishement this has generated some immediate change.  Perhaps this will prevent my experiences happening to someone else - I do hope so.


Oddly enough I am learning to live with the certainty of uncertainty and remind myself of Mother Julian of Norwich's seminal words 'all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well'.  Put more simply by my closest friend , 'it will all work out - eventually'.

Best of all my two gorgeous, faithful, loyal and loving spaniels are by my side day and night - perfect!