Let’s talk about the most important question in history:

“But if it’s going to be war, what do we do with tea time”??

You must probably live in rural Andalusia or have parents who lived through WW2 – to remember that there used to be another philosophy than Hysterics-About-Nothing:

Cool About Everything. 

When we’re pampered with decades of peace and stability, we tend to forget. How fragile things are. And then this magnificent species pops up: the Cool Ones. 

Very much not trembling under or screaming at the darkness, but bringing light.

As a true Marcus Aurelius: ‘What could be strange or arduous when all of life is here to greet you like an old and faithful friend’? 

Yes, life is suffering and yes, life is bad. So what do you do? You make it better.

You know the type? Maybe only from TV, where in the midst of every famine there always seems to be this tall, proud black lady walking through the screen with a great big smile. ‘Are times bad? I hadn’t noticed…’

I’ve seen it quite a lot of times here in rural Malaga. There’s a big bush fire on the land – and the owners couldn’t be more slow when carrying buckets down the hill. I’ve seen them basically stop for a chat. ‘My sense of well-being will NOT be interrupted’.

Coming from western Europe this is quite refreshing. Our life basically stops and all plans are cancelled when it rains. Then we need a valium and then a long talk about how miserable we feel.

When Catalonia declares independence, let’s close for half an hour

For there are things to consider, as tumbling Euros and markets and debts and instability, so for sure we must have an extra tea.

And then, then life goes on, as it always has.

May those with calm and cool and wisdom show they exist too, and win.

 And celebrate the good things

Another thing that rural Andalusia often reminds us to do.

For we have largely forgotten to be thankful. The IS has just been defeated and there’s hardly a word about it in the press. Russia and the USA seem to have a better accord than a year ago, and do we rejoice? Complaining on the other hand, is a national sports.

‘and comb your hair, young man’!

Which seems to have been the main concern of my grandfather in 1943. Come hell, come high water, my dad was not allowed to be a slob.

I think there’s great wisdom in that, not yet surpassed by any University Course.

Not that this photo here is of my dad. It is of someone, in WW1. Millions of such someones, on whose shoulders we stand, who brought us where we are.

If we cannot keep a country together, then forget about a continent. If that can happen when the economy is only 1% down, then forget about times of real hardship. If in the north of Spain there can be racism about the south of Spain, then forget about peaceful integration of Muslims.

So, yes, things look bleak, just as they’ve so often looked, and will often look again.

So practising cool is never a waste of time. 

I propose: keep tea time at 4PM.

Ben

If you hated this post, you will definitely hate ‘Go with the flow’