Sitting at the dining table with empty plates in front of us I can feel the dog lying on my feet out of sight, hopeful. A familiar discussion strikes up. "How many chocolate puddings are left?" my son asks his girlfriend. "I think there are two. How many have you had?" "I had one yesterday. … [Read more...] about Chocolate Puddings And A Scarcity Mindset
Recovery
Why You Don’t Need To Feel Shame About Your Fears
Clearing a space on the desk in front of me I have all the tools I need to change the strings on a guitar. The thing is, I've had this odd anxiety about re-stringing creeping over me recently and I feel a lot of shame about it. Who on earth feels nervous about changing the strings on a guitar? … [Read more...] about Why You Don’t Need To Feel Shame About Your Fears
Dealing With The Trauma Of A Trauma
Last weekend my son sustained head trauma. Someone punched him so hard it broke his mastoid and, as he fell he hit and cut his head. For two days there was blood coming from his ear, he couldn't keep a glass of water down, and he was so dizzy he couldn't get himself off the bed until he was so … [Read more...] about Dealing With The Trauma Of A Trauma
How To Be A Failure
I'm playing "Grand Theft Auto" because my son wants to relive a little of his past. His girlfriend, who is isolating in the house too, is less keen so I decide to take it for a test drive but find myself hopelessly ill equipped. "It's much harder than 'Red Dead Redemption'" I complain. "I … [Read more...] about How To Be A Failure
How To Cope
My son turned 21 this week amidst scant celebration. He is not one to mope about feeling sorry for himself but it must have been tough spending his 21st with his parents. Inside his card, I wrote out one of my favourite poems, “The Orange” by Wendy Cope. It is an ode to the joy of simplicity … [Read more...] about How To Cope