This reminds me of an office mate I had once. His favorite saying was,
Cheer up, things are bound to get worse.
It was supposed to be a joke.
The cartoon also reminds me of an article I read about 50 years ago. The woman had just moved and was feeling nostalgic for her former home. Then she realized that feeling always happened when she left a place, and it would no doubt happen again. After she left she remembered only the good parts and forgot about the things she didn’t like. So she decided she would be happier if from then on she was “nostalgic for the present” and focus on the things she liked and appreciate them in the moment. It struck me as a good way to go through life.
The idea isn’t new of course. One of my favorite poems is this ancient Sanskrit one:
Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the truths and realities of existence:The joy of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power.For yesterday is but a memory,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today, well lived, makes every yesterday
a memory of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
There are no guarantees in life, but this strikes me as a sensible strategy.
your office mate’s saying makes me think of the Russell saying about the true way to happiness. 😀
I’ve always liked the last stanza of that poem.
‘the good ol days’ are always tempting. but then I think of some of the modern conveniences I love. washing machines to do the laundry. nice clean bathrooms. hot showers. and four lane highways. and microwaves!
to name just a few. 🙂
My favorites are the internet and air conditioning! The great thing about studying history is it makes us realize how lucky we are.
Very unusual post. Very interesting nevertheless. Could you please give me a link to the original in Sanskrit? Thank you.
I have no idea where you might find that link. I read this version years ago and saved it.
so many answers to our someone asking us “how’s it going?” from weather, to I’m fine, to mustn’t grumble through it’s getting or going to be worse…
the other day when I was talking to someone on the phone to do with “now time” and I replied to the above “I’m fine” then I remembered that actually I wasn’t really fine at all!
I hope you start feeling great soon!
Well, I don’t normally go in for nostalgia or the idea of “the good old days”, but as I watch what this Tory government is doing to Britain, I think maybe the pre-Thatcher era really was the good old days….
Cheer up, it’s bound to get worse. 😀