‘What’s wrong?’ Irina asked when she discovered me on the sofa gazing forlornly at the ceiling. I shrugged. ‘Maybe you should think about it.’ Strangely I still need reminding to pay attention to what’s wrong with me when I don’t feel so good. Left to myself, I do my best to ignore it and move on. I’m learning to take Irina’s advice. There’s no better thing Friends are a big deal, aren’t they? In fact I’m coming to realise that…
So last week I set a challenge for those of us who find meeting new people terrifying and holding conversation difficult. The provocation was to talk to a new person everyday for seven days – in the supermarket, in the pub, wherever. Some people do this without thinking anyway, but for many people it’s a constant source of anxiety. How did you get on? I hate to say, that I didn’t quite manage it – not everyday, despite Irina’s regular coaxing.…
Do you fancy a challenge? For some it’ll be as easy as breathing. For others like me, not so much. It’s amazing how little incidents in our day can be so important. A few afternoons ago I was sitting in my favourite lunch spot. It was sunny and the wall on which I leant gave shelter from the wind and radiated heat; it felt like spring had arrived. The sun on the ruffled sea and the granite cliffs dotted with…
It’s a question people often ask to married couples – ‘so how did you two get engaged?’ or something along those lines. When I’m confronted with this enquiry, my heart sinks a little. It’s not that I don’t like the story – I love it. It’s just that those listening often don’t feel the same way. Many women have been thoroughly offended by my response, staring back at me as though I were a monster. On one occasion I was…
You are at a party. You haven’t found anyone to talk to and, looking around the packed room, you can’t see anyone else who isn’t engaged in endless chattering. Shady thoughts sweep into your mind like a tide. What is wrong with me? Why don’t people want to talk to me? Why don’t I have anything funny or interesting to say? You pull out your phone and check your messages despite knowing you have none, hoping people will think you’ve…