Prolog
I was with my dad yesterday afternoon, recently he has received his teachers pension and with the lump some been investing in property that he rents out. As anyone who owns a house will know, it can be a compleat hash getting a mortgage. I know I had a grate deal of stress over the current one. So my dad was complaining about the Mortgage people. He was struggling to sort out what would be his fifth buy-to-let mortgage and so I told him this story:

3 Years ago
Back then me and the wife used to frequent in the RedLion pub. Very nice place, we were locals and known by most and knew the other locals. One guy was called mark, a very tall and friendly guy, as soon as you stepped into the place he would be the first to great you and the first to have a pint and a catch up. Type of guy who never had anything bad to say about other people.

Mark was planing a diving holiday in Egypt on his own, two weeks later. He's back with a support round his neck. He goes on to say how he spent all of the holiday in his hotel room, somehow he clicked his neck and couldn't dive, he then says that when he got back they x-rayed him and told him he had broken his neck and it was lucky he didn't sever his spinal cord. Within two weeks they had had two fix a metal rod to his spine. I asked him for how long would it be in, he told me it would be permanent. But he didn't seam phased buy it. Even tho ot eould mean he would never again be able to turn his head left to right or up and down. He was still a nice optimistic guy.

2 Years ago
Well, we stopped going into the Red Lion as much as we had moved home to the other side of Durham. I had recently got my self a MGB-GT car that was under the process of having body panels replaced, patched, added and a re-spray. I wanted the car back in march, it was already April... i wasn't happy. To make it worse we had to go on a trip to the supermarket. I don't mind nipping in, but with the wife, it wouldn't be a quick trip! As we were leaving, who did we see but Mark. He, as always was very friendly, and although he looked unwell you really couldn't tell by his voice or manner. He, as he always instantly asked how we are... Well due to my mood I lay it all out "my ***** ****** car ain't ready and my **** mechanic said...." And so on. Mark listened, as he was concerned and he was upset for me that I had to wait longer. He was actually concerned. After I finished spitting venom and generally just being a spoilt brat a said "...you?"

He went on to tell us about how, with his neck he couldn't sleep very well. He said that he would watch TV until he got very tired, go to his car and sleep in his car seat as it was the only way he could get constable. He also said that they discovered how he had broken his neck and that the doctors had discovered he had aggressive cancer in his bones.

The Conclusion
As we walked through the car park two years ago  I thought about what I had just said. I was complaining that our Third car, a little classic Sunday and fun day car was two weeks behind schedule. I was physically annoyed and yet Mark had a lot more to worry about and yet all he showed was care.

Once I told my dad the story it had the same effect on him "mmm, your right," my dad said "I'm complaint that my sixth mortgage is difficult, sounds rather silly now."

I hope this story has the same effect on others and makes you realise that things perhaps ain't to bad.

Just over a year ago Mark died, whenever I'm in my new local ill think of him when I grab my first pint. Thanks Mark for teaching me context.

Hi V.

A LOT of the problems we perceive as HUGE....are, in truth, NOTHING compared to what so many others in the UK, and the World, have to suffer and put up with.
Somehow it's 'good' to get things off your chest, once in a while.....I know I do ! ( I'm doing now with the Italian Postal service aren't I ?)

Mrs Techno has a good friend for whom NOTHING ever seems to go right.....The friend's father is slowly dying of liver failure at the moment.
If that wasn't enough, if anything CAN go wrong for the poor lass....It will.

It's too easy to think of the negative things that affect you.....and forget about all the good things.

Good post !!
Cheers - Phil.

Yeah, I am not one of these " people in Africa..." Blah blah blah! And I think it's good to get stress off your chest and have a twist or  moan now and again. But think about what YOU have and where your going.

Having lived in Africa for 5 years, 3 of them as a VSO, you are really able to put things into context. Health and Happiness you cannot buy. Simples.

True.

But if I had nowt to grumble about I'd not be a True Yorkshireman

Very true Nosher .