My vreugdes en frustrasies

Dis Ekke

Positive thinking – please give me a break

Vervet monkeys during a heavy rains shower

I’ve now had a bellyfull of ‘positive thinking’ messages floating all over my social media timeline. In goeie Afrikaans – ek is nou gatvol vir positiewe denke boodskappies.

I do agree with this school of thought- in general – but please give me a break and credit me with a little intelligence. Positive thinking will not turn my life into a funfair. Not overnight anyway. Definitely not on an ‘every-minute-of-every-day’ and for ‘the-rest-of-my-life’ scale.

If you don’t believe me, ask these young vervet monkeys how effective their positive thinking worked for them during the heavy rain shower which left them very wet and very cold. And very hungry, as well; nobody in their right mind forages for food during such a downpour.

They patiently sat on our lower balcony for almost half a day, waiting and watching for a door or window to open, or for food to be thrown their way. Every single time that they detected movement upstairs, they looked up hopefully. Did positive thinking do the trick?

Vervet monkeys during a heavy rains shower

No, it did not. They were not let into the house, nor did they receive any food. These are wild animals and for their own good, they are not be sheltered or fed. They have to hone their skills to provide for themselves.

Yes, we felt sorry for them. Yes, they became a little discouraged in the end. (Don’t worry, they lived through that day and grew up to be the proud parents of healthy youngsters of their own who will also learn to live through the rough times.)

Vervet monkeys during a heavy rain shower

So, back to the positive thinking messages. Can I ask you please, instead of sending me a little message of hope when, say, my leg is in a cast, could you please go do my grocery shopping for me?

What has positive thinking done for me so far?

  • I haven’t won the state lottery yet, but I can still afford a meal
  • I didn’t get the big contract that I hoped for, but I still have a means of generating income
  • I’m getting older and uglier every day, but I still buy those expensive face creams

You get my drift? Okay, then you know, I still have hope, I am still optimistic. Basta met die boodskappies.

To end this tirade, here is a quote that I have made my personal motto in life.

“I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.” – Walt Disney

Thank you, Walt, you can be my hero for today.

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35 Comments

  1. WELL said! Ek stem saam met jou.

  2. Geweldig verhaal, waar ik me helemaal in kan vinden, zelfs met het niet voeden van die cute monkies, al zou dat me heel veel moeite kosten 🤣

  3. You could perhaps be overlooking the difference between positive thinking and magical thinking?

  4. Mmmmm jy is lekker kwaai vandag. Ek moet darem ook sê ek lees liewer die positiewe goed as die wat oor alls so K… en kerm. Ek stem saam oor die Apies. Dis soos Mariette se kat stap altyd saam met jou na jou woontell maar ek maak seker ek maar die deur voor haar neus toe … sug… anders het ek ‘n kat

    • Comment by post author

      Hester Ley Nel

      Kak en kerm is darem eerlik. Hierdie oordrewe soetsappige manier wat ander mense my wil leer om my lewe te leef, gee my ‘n pyn.

      • Ok ek stem maar die gekerm oor gewoon alles terwyl die witbrood stewig onder die arm is, is weer vir my ‘n pyn EN ek weet nie altyd of kerm so eerlik is nie… dit lê gewoon nie leeker by my nie.

        • Comment by post author

          Hester Ley Nel

          Maar jy weet as iemand so k&k, kan jy hom sommer regsien, maar wat doen jy as iemand jou 20 keer op ‘n dag bemoedig, aanspoor, motiveer, vlei, vertel hoe oulik jy is en hoe jy nog ouliker kan word? Dis bekotsenswaardig.

        • hehehehe ok met daardie woord het jy my oortuig. Ek stuur elke dag iets moois of snaaks vir my vriende. Ek hoop nie daar is iemand wat soos jy voel daaroor nie. Dit sal tog goed wees as iemand dit sal sê. Nie dat ek heeldag loop en vertel hoe oulik hulle is nie….

        • Comment by post author

          Hester Ley Nel

          Om jou vriende elke dag iets moois toe te wens, is wenslik. Om hulle elke dag ‘n dosyn kere te herinner – “jy alleen is verantwoordelik vir jou eie geluk”, “only you can do it”, “you CAN make it possible”, “your success depends on your efforts” – Dit.maakies.my.naarkies.

  5. Blog Andrew

    Awe Hester they look so cold and wet……………. and adorable, yet I understand they are wild animals and the worst thing you could do is feed them 🙂 as for positive thinking you and I are on exactly the same wave length!! 😀

    • Comment by post author

      Hester Ley Nel

      Thank you, Andrew. I decided to write about all my pet peeves and get it out of my system before the end of this year, so, I will be addressing quite a few of these issues! 😄

      • Blog Andrew

        🙂 I will be reading for sure.

  6. That’s why I like sarcasm ….

  7. Eina! Se die spyker toe jy hom op sy kop slaan!

  8. Perfect feeling about those messages. Can’t you unsubscribe them?(I know some are impossible because they are your friends, ha ha!) Die ape is maar n mensgemaakte probleem. Roei die council(vergeet wat dit in afr is!)hulle nie uit met tye nie?

  9. I agree, Hester. There are many moments when the best for us is to acknowledge that life sucks a little and that we need to do something about it and not think that our positive thinking without action will initiate a change.
    About the monkeys, I would have found it almost impossible to not give them food at least or a blanket but stay outside… does that work?

    • Comment by post author

      Hester Ley Nel

      The problem is that they get used to the interaction and keep coming back. Also remember, they travel in troops of up to 50 monkeys. Give food to one today and tomorrow they expect you to feed the whole family. The idea is to convince them that life outside the residential area is better for them.

  10. Vreemd er lopen hier heel veel loslopende apen rond.
    Al bedoel jij weer iets anders.

    Winterse groet,

  11. Optimis: glas is halfvol
    Pessimis: glas is half leeg
    Die ma : hoekom het julle nie glas op coaster gesit nie…