The Saturday List #482 - Feeling down? Here are ten reasons to be cheerful!

The last time I saw my Dad alive. was back in late November 1986. We had a curry, a game of snooker, a few beers, then shared half a bottle of scotch. After the services club, I was ready to go home, but Dad was in the mood for a drink, so he invited me back. He said "Enjoy yourself when you can, tomorrow you might wake up and the world has gone mad" (not his exact words, but they were rude and you get the idea). Of late, I've woken up on a few occasions and felt the world has gone mad. How I wish my Dad was still alive and we could have a curry, beers and a game of snooker. I wonder what he'd make of the world that he put his life on the line making, as a WW2 bomber pilot. Dad had a massive aversion to Nazi's and Fascists. He wouldn't visit Spain whilst Franco was in charge. Another bit of advice that he gave me was that when it comes down to it, the only person you can 100% rely on is yourself. When things are bad, only you can improve your situation. I wonder what he'd say to me if we were having that chat today. 

But here we are. There are times when I do feel that I'm on a bus and the driver is a lunatic heading for the cliff edge. Then I pull myself together and remind myself of all of the reasons not to despair. Here are my top ten.

1. There have always been good times and there have always been bad times. If times are bad, they will get better. It may not be today or tomorrow, but we get there in the end. Hang on in there.

2. We live in an age when you can listen to just about every piece of music ever recorded at the click of a mouse. Think of what a privilege that is. No generation in history has had the same selection of music to listen to. When I was a kid in the 1960's, you could either listen to the radio or spend half your wages on records (some of us still do, but that's another matter). Now a simple click and you can listen to the B side of Please Please me by The Beatles, or 5446 is my number, without even getting out of bed. Think about it.

3. In the UK we are rich enough to be fussy about food. Half the people living on the planet right now would be happy with a bowl of porridge and a dry crust of bread for breakfast. I remember when I invited a mate from Russia over in the late 1980's. He too one look at the rows of food in Budgens in Mill Hill and he pronounced "It's so depressing". I asked what he meant. He'd been brought up to believe that the Soviet Union had the highest standard of living in the world. That had been destroyed with one visit to Budgens in Mill Hill. We are lucky.

4. There are no poisonous snakes or spiders in London. My Dad came from Australia. It is, in many ways a paradise, but it is full of things that will bite you, sting you and eat you. Can you imagine worrying that a snake will kill the dog at the park or that a spider will kill you in the Dunney? That is why I love London. 

5. Deep down, most of us are decent. Do you remember when the BLM protestor Patrick Hutchenson carried a stricken far right activist to safety when demonstraters clashed in 2020? That is the truth that is so often masked by loud mouthed agitators.

6. You can have a curry and beer in Mill Hill. The owner of The Mill Hill Tandoori in Mill Hill is the chair of a Mosque. For the last 40 years, I've been nipping in, having a beer with him (whilst he drinks a soft drink) and chatting about life. When I hear people slag Muslims off, I wonder how many they actually know. The Mill Hill Tandoori puts up a Christmas tree and lights, because decent people respect their neighbours. I knew nothing of Islam when I first started chatting to him. I've come to realise that we have more in common than divides us. He doesn't drink, but he enjoys chatting to me when I have a beer. That is how it should be. 

7. It's spring and the trees are in blossom. You can believe what you want, I believe God made such things beautiful to give us a glimpse of heaven and to make us happy. I always try and appreciate beauty in nature. Sadly to many don't raise their heads and look.

8. Sunshine costs nothing. This week, I've taken the opportunity to sit in Mill Hill Park and enjoy the sunshine. Quite a few people were chilling and sunbathing. A couple had little picnics. In London most things cost money, but our parks and sunshine are free. Yesterday, we had a walk along the River Thames, it was spectacular. Enjoy the sun when it shines. 

9. No one gets out of here alive! This may seem like a reason to be miserable, but I've come to realise that it is something to celebrate. Just suppose we all lived forever and never got old. Of course it would spare us the pain of losing people, but it would also give us no incentive to get out of bed and do stuff. I know that if I'm lucky, I might have 15-20 more years of being physically able to do the stuff I enjoy. It inspires me to live for today and enjoy myself. If you ever forget that we are not here forever and we only get one shot at this, you will get stuck in a rut. Let your mortality inspire you to enjoy this lucky ticket you've won. Sure some of us are going through tragic times and are down. But take solace, it will pass. See the good things and let them inspire you.

10. Ian Dury. The great bard wrote the song Reasons to be Cheerful Part three. I don't know if I'd be here if it wasn't for the inspiration of Ian Dury, who made me realise that if you believe in yourself, you can join a band and make great music (and if you have nothing to do on the 25th May, please come along and see me playing with the False Dots -  The False Dots Matinee Show)

Here is the third verse. I am not one to argue. 

Health service glasses

Gigolos and brasses

Round or skinny bottoms

Take your mum to Paris

Lighting up the chalice

Wee Willy Harris

Bantu Stephen Biko, listening to Rico

Harpo, Groucho, Chico

Cheddar cheese and pickle, the Vincent motorsickle

Slap and tickle

Woody Allen, Dali, Dimitri and Pasquale

Balabalabala and Volare

Something nice to study, phoning up a buddy

Being in my nuddy

Saying hokey-dokey, singalonga Smokey

Coming out of chokey

John Coltrane's soprano, Adi Celentano

Bonar Colleano

If you really need some cheering up, Dr Rog prescribes some Ian Dury!