Black Comfort
syndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
My upbringing was very normal for the nineteen fifties and sixties in Australia. Boys were meant to be tough creatures who showed no signs of pain, suffering, confusion or emotion. One emotion was permitted however. That was, being happy and contented with life’s lot. The standard was set primarily of course by my father, who was a perfect role model, and by my male relatives, friends and peers. Being tough, hard, unemotional and without fear were the attributes of a real man.
I remember stubbing my big toe on a rock when I was about five or six. My toe nail was pointing north, and there was blood gushing in abundance. There was pain in abundance as well. But before my first tears of pain had completed their gravitational journey down my cheeks, my father’s voice reminded me of my obligations. “Boys don’t cry!” he said as he doused my bleeding foot with cold water from the garden hose. This was accompanied by the sound advice to have our dog lick my toe as it would help stop the bleeding.
On another occasion, I managed to gash my leg on a rusty nail while climbing a picket fence at the back of our house on my way to my friend who lived behind us. Once again, blood was everywhere and the screams of my friends, and myself of course, attracted my mother’s attention. Naturally she came running, saw the gaping wound in my calf, exposing my shin bone and proceeded to belt me vigorously on the backside while saying, “You father told you never to climb the fence!”
I am sure these two examples highlight the social conditioning I was accustomed to as a youngster. So, what was the result? Humour. It was, and still is the best protection I have from crying my eyes out when pain, suffering, sadness, anxiety or grief threaten to overcome me. In memory of my parents I can give you prime examples of how I habitually manage adversity with humour.
I was unfortunate enough to lose both my parents in the same year. They died within a few months of one another. My dad went first in May. Very suddenly. However, the poor bastard only had a measly five months peace and quiet before my mother got fed up with no one around to nag, and decided to up and die, just so she could get things back to what had been normality for fifty-five years. My poor father. He deserved a little longer.
Then, as Christmas approached for the first time without my parents, I suddenly realised the economy of losing them both. It was a much cheaper Christmas with two fewer gifts to buy and post. The silver lining of the black cloud of death. But then my daughter went and ruined it all by replacing my parents with grand kids, so the economy didn’t last very long.
Humour has always been my protection. It saves me from dwelling on negative thoughts for too long so I can get on with drinking beer and telling jokes. It saves me on washing snotty handkerchiefs and finding machine washed tissue pulp in my Levi’s. It saves me from crying.
Derek Haines – Author, Songwriter, Poet, Idiot
http://www.derekhaines.ch
http://dereksvandalblog.blogspot.com/
Black Traxx III – Your Mind Is So Crazy (Comfort Zone Mix)
|
|
Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System … |
|
|
Keurig B-70 B70 Platinum Single-Cup Home Brewing System $229.99 The Elite Brewing System is Keurig’s gourmet home brewing made affordable. The Elite Brewing System, the most affordably priced Keurig kitchen brewing system, offers K-Cup® coffee, tea and hot cocoa brewing as the elite choice to any drip coffee maker. The Elite offers two cup sizes for brewing options with the programmable feature of Auto Off. The 48-ounce removable water reservoir holds up to 6… |
|
|
Keurig 5071 K-Cup Carousel Tower $24.88 Here’s the perfect way to store and organize your K-cups and have them ready whenever you’re ready fo a delicious, hot beverage. This counter piece features a lazy-susan base for simple rotation and the black and grey design suits most kitchen styles. The Keurig 5071 K-Cup Carousel Tower is a perfect accessory for owners of Keurig K-Cup coffee machines. Coffee K-Cups are not included in the tower…. |
|
|
Callaway Chev Comfort Black/ Black Golf Shoes $44.99 Soft full-grain leather with a flex comfort outsole, a full length cushioned footbed and seven new Chevron Comfort Spikes for superior traction. The Chev Comfort is finished off with Callaway Rainsport/Drysport waterproof technology. |
|
|
I-Comfort Women’s Black Rose Pumps $45.99 A stylish rose embellishment adorns these fabulous black pumps from I-Comfort. With a lovely microsuede construction and slightly padded footbed, these round toe pumps offer comfort and fashion. |
|
|
Black Ceramic Men’s Comfort Fit Band $30.99 Men’s comfort fit bandBlack ceramic jewelryClick here for ring sizing guide |
