I finished an interesting book last night about the pursuit of happiness and positive thinking, and how the results of affirmations and these motivational seminars are counter-productive. It's called "The Antidote" and the author of it finds that avoiding the negative does not make a person happier, paradoxically, facing the negative actually eases anxiety. He describes various philosophers and research looking into this area, and the results are surprising. One chapter is on Buddhism, and the practice of facing that life is change and death awaits all of us. I really enjoyed learning about the Stoics, in Greek times, and what they were actually saying. And he has a chapter on Mexico and Dias de las Muertos. It turns out that avoidance of the inevitable is more punishing than seeing what is so for us as humans. I also learned a bit about Eckhart Tolle. It's a small book, by a British journalist who often writes for The Guardian. Well worth reading.
Today the sun seems to be out, and walking the dogs seems a good idea. Beyond that, I know not.
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