“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life…and I’m feeling good” sings Nina Simone. Following on from my Facebook post of ‘Woke up today…result!’ I wanted to share with you the time when I recently bumped into Anthony Hopkins, who was sporting a Covid-19 lockdown hairstyle, just like lots of us chaps are.
It all began when I was at our home in France. I was merrily fixing a new French number plate to my Ifor Williams trailer which was standing next to my Kahn enhanced Land Rover Defender 90. The Defender has also been registered with French plates, as that is where it spends its life, now we are in our final year of our plan to move to France full time.
As I was struggling with poking the fixing screws through the number plate, I adjusted my stance which brought me into the personal space and close contact of the aforementioned well known and much-loved movie star, Sir Anthony who just happened, at that exact moment, to be passing by. In his wonderful soft voice, straight out of Meet Joe Black, Sir Anthony apologised for knocking into me, rather than me barging him. We had a few words about how we are all coping and managing during these troublous times. I’d like to say he is one of my very good friends. I’d like to say that, but of course, we barely know each other. By the end of our brief and very pally exchange though, we had put the world to rights and certainly enjoyed each other’s company. I remarked how much he resembled my late departed father, but wondered if in fact, when we all get to a certain age, sporting flowing white locks, whether we don’t all look somewhat alike.
When that time comes for me, personally I’m banking on bearing a close resemblance to Kevin Costner or George Clooney – well who wouldn’t?
So, in the words of Ian Dury, I give you my Sunday morning Reasons to be Cheerful, 1, 2, 3…
- I have woken up…result! Although most mornings when I awake, I feel like I have either been run over by a London bus or, more than likely for snoring, Charlotte has assaulted me not wisely, but too well. I am thankful that I have been given another chance simply to be. I am cheerfully awake and looking forward to whatever the new day brings.
Be cheerful that you’ve made it through life this far, that you’re alive and you have the chance to do something amazing today!
- I have a plan. We have a plan. Our Five Year Plan that started back in 2016 is racing along, well into the final furlong, the last few hurdles that need to be crossed. Although Alfie is not one of these, his career path will eventually take him on his way to pastures new and Charlotte and I, while our empty nest is still warm with his leaving, will be packing the last remaining items from here in England, to begin our new chapter in France.
Be cheerfully unlimited in your goals. Get a plan. Everyone needs a plan. It’s the same as a list. Set yourself unreasonable targets, then prove to yourself you can achieve them.
- You. Although we may not physically see each other, we don’t talk every day and we might not visit each other due to work, home life or the distance between us, we are all still connected. We have this connection with each other in ways that can never be taken from us – in our thoughts and memories. You are in my thoughts possibly more often than you’d care to know!
Be cheerfully thankful that you have friends and loved ones. Even if technically you feel alone sometimes, you have me…although that might sometimes not feel like a blessing!
Now, as I wake up, with the terrors of the night receding and the dawning reality that, for the moment, I’m not in France or discussing Life’s Rich Tapestry with Sir Anthony Hopkins, I do though have the wonderful gift of a new day. I stretch my aching limbs, roll over in bed to gaze upon the still sleeping Charlotte and thank God for this blessing of this wonderful life that we have been given. No one said it would be easy or simple, the path is not always smooth, flat and wide, but life is to be lived, mountains to be climbed, while we still can. So to all my lovely friends, smile, be cheerful, it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life and it’s good to…
Carry on Regardless!
DJ
Carry On Regardless 