I was recommended a book by the Last Unreconstructed Communist.
It is called " Hector's voyage or the search for happiness." by a chap called Francois Lelord. Although that's it's English title, I could only get a copy in French.
It is a delightful tale, all about Hector the psychiatrist, who is sad because he can't bring happiness to his clients. So he sets off around the world, has various adventures, and writes what he learns about happiness in his little notebook, specially bought for purpose.
There are 24 " lessons" in total. But Hector rubbed out number 18, as he didn't want the girl he loved to see it ( it was " Happiness is being able to love several women at once" - Lelord is French after all)
If anyone is interested I will happily send all of them, but the synthesis is, I think, enough.
Lesson 21: Happiness is a way of looking at things.
Lesson 13: Happiness is to feel useful to others.
Lesson 10: Happiness is to have an occupation that you enjoy.
As Hector says to himself, these are good lessons. And enough for him.
And me.
4 comments:
I can't quite bring myself to say "Vive la France!" at the moment
ww - ah well, we Brits are always good losers and good winners too.
Magnanimity is the order of the day
Quite, King Lear, but this is the French we're talking about....
Anyway, according to John Lennon, Happiness is a warm gun. He might have changed his mind sometime in December 1980, though.
mr. Fact - Ok it's the French, BUT do we not prefer them to Ze Tchermans these days? Or is that merely because more of us live there?
And what does John Lennon know? As far as I know he never carried a gun.
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