Every now and then, I feel the need for some bracing cynicism – or at least, the reminder that there are gloomier ways to view the world, whatever I am making of my own situation at the time.
I’m not advocating gloominess – far from it – though it can strike us easily enough at the end of the week, considering what we have done, and (more often) left undone, for various reasons.
It is at times like this that Eeyore’s outlook on life comes to mind – as a challenge to my own view of life.
Eeyore, you see, can be relied on to regard life with little hope for improvement. In a funny way, this can be quite helpful – it holds up a mirror to our own situations, and brings us to ask if they are really so bad.
Winnie the Pooh, as a book, has long been plundered for memorable quotations – and taken to stand for all kinds of philosophical mindsets.
Whether you side with the Tao of Pooh, or the Te of Piglet, I can’t help but feel Eeyore’s own contribution has been overlooked. Which I’m sure he would point out, with a mixture of rebuke and satisfaction.
One time, I found myself looking through the pages of Pooh again, and did in fact laugh out loud (but not ROFL – it was some time before that option). Eeyore’s gloominess is epitomised by the wonderful words I have chosen for today’s Friday phrase.
Next time disaster seems imminent or actual – whether someone has removed the sticks of your house, burst your birthday balloon, or sat on your chosen thistle – remind yourself that, at least, there haven’t been any earthquakes recently.
(I appreciate that, for some readers, earthquakes are more of an issue than they tend to be in the UK. So, in spirit, feel free to substitute your own meteorologically-unlikely situation.)
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“It’s snowing still,” said Eeyore gloomily.
“So it is.”
“And freezing.”
“Is it?”
“Yes,” said Eeyore. “However,” he said, brightening up a little, “we haven’t had an earthquake lately.â€
A. A. Milne