Time to go home...

When things aren't going too well, we hanker after some time in the distant past when things were better, fairer, cleaner and easier. I keep hearing of this 'Better Britain' that some sections of society claim they want back (someone please tell me when it was and how it was better? Ask my old neighbour if she wants to go back to outside toilets, back-to-back inner city housing and she'll tell you to piss off). We often believe that what we face in the present is often much worse 'than the way things used to be' or could be so much better in the future. I spent a massive chunk of my twenties stressing about my weight and constatly hoping that I'd improve with age. In some ways I have, but when I look at pictures of myself back then, there's bugger all wrong with me. In fact, I could occasionally look pretty hot. I repeat, occasionally.

I've just spent a month teaching outside of Bangkok as large sections of the capital were underwater. I've spent 4 weeks hankering after my own bed, my laptop, my clothes and toiletries. I've moaned about increased mossie bites and the lack of entertainment. Now it's my last day and I'm going back to the city. I can already feel myself missing the county air, the sound of quiet and the fact the kids 'were so much nicer up here'.

Today, we learnt that our current boss is leaving and our old boss will be taking control. Many people moaned about our old boss when we worked for him. However, when he left and the new boss took over, staff could be heard chuntering under their breaths, "Well if only he was still here. We wouldn't be having half the problems we're currently having". Well he is now coming back. And the moaning starts. "Wasn't he such a difficult man? I'm not sure I can cope with his iron rule again."

Just make up your bloody mind!

I'm not singling out my colleagues; this is general human nature. Will there ever be a time when people are completely happy with what they've got? When we're not thinking of how much better our parents' generation was (I've been told it wasn't all that), when we don't think of how things will certainly be better tomorrow whilst completely ignoring the joys of today. We should really remember that just as we swap one hardship for another, we often swap one delight for another too.

I'm sure I will remember this time in the country with rose-tinted glasses rather remembering some of the more uncomfortable times. Hopefully, though, I can start to appreciate a little more what I have from day to day.

And today seems pretty good.