Since 2013 I have set myself a challenge of reading 50 books a year and then I track my progress on Good Reads.
I fell three short in the first year but have hit my target ever since. This year I gave the maximum five star rating to six titles: Continue reading
Gillian Welch – blessed
Mark Twain was on to something when he said that “a pessimist is a well-informed optimist’.
Psychologists will tells you that a negative mindset is defensive posturing to hide some deep-seated vulnerability. It is also said that positivity and good heath go hand in hand . But breaking out of a vicious cycle of cynical thinking is easier said than done.
I have little faith in those glossy magazine articles that are full of superficial lifestyle tips written to order rather than based on actual experience. The abiding message such fluff pieces peddle is that negative thoughts ought to be smothered at birth.
I believe this perceived wisdom is not only wrong but also potentially damaging. How can you look squarely at the world and still be full of idealism and gladness?
Personally, I’d rather be in the company of a confirmed pessimist than a contrived optimist. I identify strongly with Gillian Welch who sang so memorably: “You know some girls are bright as the morning and some girls are blessed with a dark turn of mind”.
Photo (courtesy of Reuters) shows a candlelit vigil following the rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student in New Delhi.
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