Guardian soul destroyers

I give thanks I'm getting better at not talking to people. For years I sent letters, cards and postcards...and then emails, texts and messages too before it dawned on me if I'm not hearing from others they probably don't want to hear from me. The trouble with understanding something is we tend to want to share our knowledge and so I give thanks a proper academic study can now back up what I've been trying to explain for ages and get told I have low self esteem (Low self esteem? Me? I'm an Aquarian - you canNOT be serious!), or told about faults and foibles I have that are detrimental to my likeability (which isn't that good for the self esteem to be honest and, as what constitutes a failing tends to be subjective, not really very constructive either) or referred to that curious psychological phenomenon known as 'self fulfilling prophesy' which is mysteriously only detectable in others and produces an infuriatingly smug tone in one who thinks they've found it. Anyway, in case you haven't heard about this research there's lots of articles in the media picking out whichever points the writer or editor felt most pertinent to their publication but here's one to start you off...

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/27/are-your-friends-really-your-friends-oliver-burkeman#comments

Well, that seemed to turn into a bit of a rant so I give thanks I know when I'm ranting and you can give thanks I've stopped! I also give thanks I've stopped trying to do most things for today...well for now anyway. On the whole I reckon I am getting better at doing less...but usually only after doing rather a lot! I even managed not to go out today and that's a serious challenge when the sun is shining and warm. People say 'Don't you feel better when the weather's nice?' and of course you do if you're better enough to go out in it but it's even harder if you're not..

Um...what else? Watching foreign subtitled stuff on my tablet is good as I can't do anything much at all while I do that so I give thanks I'm still finding a few bits here and there that appeal. Oh and I'm grateful I found a new series of Sewing Bee has started because it's one of the few things in English I understand! And of course I've done some sewing myself which is a bit of a compulsion at the moment but one for which I'm very grateful. It keeps me from being naked for one thing. Not that there's anything intrinsically wrong with that but it's good to have compassion for others I feel. Speaking of which, I can hear a particularly dissatisfied soul grumping and thumping about at the moment so I give thanks for Imee Ooi's Chant of Metta to remind me to wish them kindness.