interesting true facts about life

that still stand

1. Any adult possessed of an unwavering belief they are doing everything right is almost certainly doing quite a lot wrong.

2. The world does not owe you tomorrow, let alone an apology.

3. Reason and feeling are of a piece, there is no schism. Just as the earth, air, water, plants and animals are all connected, so too are our bodies and minds.

4. If the above sounds cringey-woo-woo it’s less a testimony to the wisdom of Descartes than the relentless short-sightedness of humans.

5. Small children should be encouraged to read and write poetry freely with abandon in the same way we are encouraged to draw and paint and play with blocks and sand.

6. Here is a short list of everyday things worth getting the ‘best’ version of, if you can afford it: Jeans, perfume, cooking knives, pens, cheese, leggings, mascara, hair cuts, bath towels, bedsheets, reading glasses.

7. Here is a list of the everyday things not worth getting the ‘best’ version of, even if you even if you can afford it: moisturiser, oysters, flip flops, cars, corkscrews, dogs, toasters, friends.

8. When all else fails watch Moonstruck.

9. It’s nonsense that everything happens for a reason.

10. While some situations in life are largely of our own making, many, many others are neither to our credit nor our fault. Learning and accepting the difference will vastly improve your sleep.

11. If on Valentine’s Day every single object you owned was washed away in a flood, by Easter Sunday you probably wouldn’t care.

12. Having said that, get insurance.

13. Whoever told you your own pleasure isn’t important was wrong.

14. So, so wrong.

15. Unlearning this lesson is the single biggest challenge most of us face in an otherwise privileged life; but once we do, everything else becomes possible.

16. Past trauma is not necessarily the root cause of your suffering any more than exculpating it is the solution.

17. Geography really is destiny. Changing where you live changes everything. Freedom of movement is freedom itself.

18. When you hate everyone and want to blow up the world, try eating a soft boiled egg.

19. If you don’t like eggs, eat a handful of roasted nuts.

20. If you don’t like nuts, eat chocolate.

21. If you don’t like chocolate I give up.

22. Choosing to walk out of the show at intermission is a key component of the magic of live theatre.

23. Don’t under-estimate the perniciousness of boredom. People often wreak havoc in their lives just to feel something a little bit different.

24. Swimming in the sea and reading are almost the same thing.

25. Reading and writing are almost the same thing.

26. Writing and dreaming are almost the same thing.

27. Dreaming and dancing are almost the same thing.

28. Dancing and sex are almost the same thing.

29. Sex and love are almost the same thing.

30. Chocolate-dipped vanilla soft-serve cones and ice cream are not the same thing.

31. Even the most ordinary, mundane human life is full of mysterious plot twists and unforeseen world-altering events.

32. I’m serious about Moonstruck. It’s way better than you remember.

33. If you remember.

34. To make the most of your remaining time here, try to spend less of it planning and more of it opening yourself up to your Next Big Surprise.

35. You can accomplish this by searching for beauty in the crack of the sofa or by listening to music in the bath.

36. Try to muster up all your grace and good humour and meet it bravely with aplomb.

37. It’s coming, I promise.