Being Happy

Being happy can be described as having a certain state of mind where all around is in harmony and there is peaceful acceptance of the current conditions and situation.

If I were to say this is one of those times, you would quite rightly deduce that I have lost the plot, my marbles have escaped and are rolling towards the padded cell where the white jacket with the long sleeves that buckle up behind me, awaits my imminent arrival. So I won’t say that, just yet. I have a few words and pictures to impart before I sign off in a state of abject delirium.

Alfie (A), 15, is home from his now closed school. He does his set homework on the computer and a little keeping fit by walking the dog. Whereas other families experiencing the effects of self-isolating have caused a ‘stir-crazy’ state of mind, Alfie has engineered himself extra hours from his weekend job at the local greengrocers to keep himself busy. Now during the week, he is taking himself off to the shop where masked and gloved up, he serves and works, placing himself on that line of danger where he comes into relatively close contact with many people needing to purchase their essentials. Mindful of the need to be clean, on his return home he exercises the practice of stripping and showering to minimise the chances of cross-contamination with the rest of the household. 

Given the circumstances, I’d say he is a brave lad who understands the need to help others and whilst placing himself in harm’s way to an extent, has weighed up the risks, limited them to an acceptable level and is reaping the financial reward that the extra hours of labour brings. I’m sure that his abiding memory through his life of this year, will be a balanced view of risk versus reward. To achieve anything in life, you need to give and generally speaking, the more you give, the greater the reward. I am exceptionally proud of him.

George (G), 19, has been checking in on the ‘older family members’. As he is in lockdown from his work, there is nothing he is able to do from home in Lincoln, UK, save for making sure others are ok. Vertical and breathing is always a bonus – if not, then there’s always my number on speed dial! 

Did I mention him saying he’s been checking in on the ‘older family members’? Reassuring to know then that I haven’t been checked on! I’m exceedingly proud of the way he has grown up into a fine man. Ok, so he is taller than me and has a thicker beard than I can grow, but height and beards aren’t everything!

H, or Harriet as we now know her, is 22 and has, as you’ll already appreciate if you have been paying attention, been a model since she was 13. Flying around the world here and there to have her photo taken and then plastered over the magazines and billboards of the modelling world.  You can read more about her here Social Distancing. And here F1 and H. Oh, and here Picture Perfect.

With the present situation of lockdown upon us, her modelling career has been curtailed. Not one to rest on her laurels, she has looked for gainful employment to assist with the COVID-19 crisis in whatever way she can. What can possibly go wrong…..? Off she goes with her head held high, her back straight and with her best foot forward and lands herself a job at a local Residential Care Home. There she now looks after residents, waking, getting them up, bringing tea, cleaning them…..

Pardon? 

Cleaning them?

Oh yes, as age wearies and the years condemn, what once was taut and tight invariably becomes slack and saggy.

Never one myself to shy away from topics of bodily functions, I’m here to report that my daughter, who is more adept at jumping into a helicopter to be whisked to the next photoshoot or walking the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival, is just down the road from Chez Moi carrying out tasks that would ruin my nails, let alone hers!  Strange times indeed when I see Harriet thinking of others and placing herself in situations that make me incredibly proud to be her father and call her my daughter.

As a parent, I can say I’m not only proud of all their accomplishments, but also my children make me very happy. I’m happy to see them grow up to be fine young adults. Happy that they are being helpful to society, each in their own way. I’m happy to witness their introduction to the world in circumstances less than desirable, but in which they are individually resolute to overcome. Each of them in their own way is standing tall, facing the clear and present danger with the backbone of grit and determination instilled in them during their childhood. Charlotte (M) and I are content that all three of our children are coming to terms with the world’s most pressing problem thus far in their lifetime, happy in the knowledge that they will continue, in their own uniquely qualified way and….

Carry on regardless!

DJ