Samhain Publishing

I have something of a nerdy secret. Throughout the year, I keep a list of all the good things that occur, anything I’ve achieved or consider noteworthy. There’s no great detail, just a few words about each little milestone, tucked away at the front of my filoFax.

Some of the entries might seem less than enthralling to you: I wrote some newsletters for a disabled sailing charity; in February, I had a big party to celebrate my nth birthday (where n is a large number); in May, I built my wife an arbour at the end of the garden. Not exactly Earth-shaking stuff, just the nicer bits of living.

Now, I can see this obsessive list-making is both bogus and sad, so why do I do it and, more importantly, why am I telling you?

I’m always a little pensive as the year draws to a close. John Lennon’s words “another year over and what have we done?” inevitably makes its way into my head. It’s difficult not to think of my existence in yearly packages – after all, life on our little, delicate planet is geared up to follow the annual cycle of the sun.

Each year has its share of unhappiness, and 2007 has dished out a few personal tragedies. When things are not running smoothly, the day-job is tedious and life seems to be going nowhere, it’s easy to slip into the winter months thinking “what exactly have I done with myself this year?”

Well, for a start, I built an arbour for my wife and it made her happy. The two word entry “built arbour” reminds me of all the details of its construction – the sunshine; the frequent, extensive coffee breaks; the very valuable assistance from our seven-year old daughter. I find myself smiling now as I think of it.

Without my list, I’d have forgotten. Not forgotten I built the arbour, I see it everyday after all. I’d have forgotten to remember that I built it, and that’s a different thing altogether.

So if, like me, you find yourself feeling the winter blues, keep a list of the nice things. They’re the stuff that makes life worth living and it’s all too easy to lose sight of them.

Michael Amos
www.michaelamos.net

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