Instant Therapy

I’m talking about LISTS.

I am a totally dedicated maker of lists. Not only is it GREAT FUN – there you are, sitting back with pen and paper, possibly a gin-and-tonic in your hand, LOVELY – but you actually feel as though you are sorting out your LIFE while you’re doing it. A DESTINATION in mind.

The therapeutic value is beyond belief.

Now, I want to say right away that I don’t always follow through on my lists, but oh, the HEAVENLY SENSE that you are getting your life in order while you’re making them is PURE GOLD.

I’ve just been through our annual Christmas celebration, which we all ADORE. It’s a BIG DEAL in our family and involves TEN of us in residence for about 10 days. HUGE amounts of food, HUGE amounts of presents. HUGE amounts of EVERYTHING. It’s the way we do it, what can I say? WHERE would I be without LISTS????? Locked up in a strait jacket, no doubt about it.

And then there’s the Christmas Presents list, without which I would be a DEAD DUCK, but I simply can’t think about that now. Maybe in about 300 days time.

My daughter Noelle is, I think, even worse than I am. She doesn’t just make lists of things to do, she actually includes things she has ALREADY DONE, just for the pleasure of crossing them off. CAN YOU BELIEVE???? She tells me there are Computer Software Programmes for lists out there, but assures me that there is NO PLEASURE in that. And I believe her. Talk about taking all the fun out of it.

You can’t watch TV while you’re doing it, though – you get some strange results. Trust me, I KNOW.

The big exception to this is the New Year’s Resolution List. DON’T GO THERE. Positively SUICIDAL, because you just KNOW you’re never going to do any of those things, and then you’re going to hate hate hate yourself. It’s the road to INSTANT DEPRESSION, and is absolute DEATH to any therapeutic value you may be hoping for.

Just one note of caution: if you find yourself making lists of your lists, you just may be taking it a step too far.