“Stop (Stop)
Being so hard on yourself
It’s not good for your health
I know that you can change
So clear your head and come ’round
You only have to open your eyes
You might just get a big surprise
And it may feel good”
- Barlow/Howard
Someone needs you today .
They don’t need you to fix anything, although if you could, you should.
They don’t need a grand gesture, although, again, if you could, you should. Who doesn’t love a grand gesture ?
They don’t even need a tiny gesture, but that would be nice.
They don’t need you to slay a dragon…no one should slay a dragon anyway, just tickle them under the chin, they make wonderful pets.
Maybe they just need you to say ‘Hello’.
Maybe they just need a coffee…or a proper cup of tea.
Maybe they just need you to smile. Did you know that your smile is infectious . You didn’t ? Well it is.
Maybe they just need you to say “You’re right.”
Maybe they just need you to wait for them at the top of the next hill.
Maybe they just need you to say “Sorry”. Yes, of course , I know that you didn’t do anything wrong in the first place, but today, just today, they need to hear it.
Maybe they just need to be seen.
I see you.
I’m sorry.
I’ll wait.
You’re right.
You have a beautiful smile too.
Tea ?
Hello.
I got you a dragon, she’s called Minerva, answers to Minnie. Yes she’s had her shots, and she’s an indoor dragon. DON’T give her ice cream just to see what happens…you won’t like what happens !
I put the seat back down on the toilet.
I got you a present. You’ll die when you see it ! It’s so you ! What, no not the dragon, that was more of a find, spur of the moment sort of thing…
I brought glue.
I need you today.
I’m here if you need me.
Toodles,
Paul
P.S. I had a whole other thing written earlier this morning about the perfect weather this week, warm enough to be pleasant, wet enough so that I don’t have to mow the lawn, about learning to curse in Uncle Johnny’s shop…. But it didn’t feel that that was what I needed to write to day…so I didn’t.
P.P.S But this memory did make me smile as I wrote it….
“……….. I discovered the wonder of cursing and blasphemy at the feet of my Uncle Johnny. Up until I was 4 we lived on Market St. in Dundalk, and I ‘worked’ for Uncle Johnny, who owned a shop four doors away on the corner with Chapel St. It was an incredibly busy corner shop and I was tasked with either refilling the cigarette machine, or more regularly, putting the empty soft drink bottles, which we called minerals, in crates out the back, those being the days when you got a 2 pence deposit back when you returned the big bottles. One day I returned home from ‘work’ and sat down for dinner with Mam, Dad, and Nanny, my Granny who lived with us…well technically we lived with her, as it was her house. Nanny, thinking it was funny that I was ‘working’ asked me how was work. “Jesus Nanny it was feckin’ busy!” I replied. Everyone stopped eating, Dad smiled, Mam and Nan glared at him so he stopped. I was told not to say “Jesus”, except if I was praying, again.
Mam marched up the street to confront Uncle Johnny for leading me astray. She explained that I’d just cursed at the kitchen table after returning from the shop and asked that he be conscious of what he said when I was around in future. Uncle Johnny was hurt ,taken aback and replied :
“For Jesus sake Kathleen , I don’t say Jesus !”
P.P.P.S Play this, all the way to the end, and if you don’t smile , I’ll give you a €5…but I’ll know in my heart that you lied.
