Arianna Simon is a rather brilliant 17-year-old from New York who recently created a brilliant solution for navigating tricky family events. Given that Arianna is still a teenager and teens, as I am finding, think that any kind of small talk is lame, she came up with a solution to answering all the regular questions asked of her. As she tells The Huffington Post “I was talking to my mom about how much I hate answering the same five questions over and over during the holidays, so she hinted that I just make a handout for my family. She was beyond shocked when I actually followed through with her idea.”

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I hold grave concern for my cheerful nature and sunny disposition. In fact I think I’ve turned into a grinch. A Christmas grinch if you will, because even when I am being a grumpy old nitpicker I like to keep it seasonal.

It started in the lead up to Christmas where I was in danger of becoming evangelical in my zeal about letting the world know that not everyone celebrates Christmas. I was spreading the word of Judaism faster than you can throw tinsel around a tree – not pushing the religion at all, that would be odd given I have not a religious bone in my body, but gently trying to explain that not everyone celebrates Christmas, not because they’re odd or trying to be different – simply because it’s not part of their culture or belief system. It would be like me celebrating Diwali or the entire Western world celebrating my birthday.
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It feels almost redundant to start this post telling you what an awful week it’s been. There isn’t a person who hasn’t felt it – from the siege in Sydney to the terror in Peshawar and the absolute tragedy of eight children murdered in Cairns, it’s been hideous. Horrifying. Scary even.

I tried to stay in bed but that didn’t work. The world moves on. Staying under the covers doesn’t make anything better for anyone else..

We can’t pretend this stuff isn’t happening – bad things happen when good people do nothing. So yes, we need to be aware – we need to put an end to violence in any way we can, we need to respect the people whose lives are lost in senseless violence and heinous acts of terror. We need to make a difference in any way we can – if through making our voices heard, through donating time or money, if by showing solidarity or putting pressure on government to make humanity part of its manifesto. We need to talk openly about domestic violence and mental health. We need to talk about poverty and terrorism and the disenfranchised and the angry. We need to try and make a difference.

But right now we also need to look at the good. We need to remember that there are more good people then there are bad, we need to focus on the flowers in Martin Place and the #i’llridewithyou hashtag. We need to remember the helpers, the good people, the people that care.

And if it’s hard to find it in the news right now we need to look at the good stuff that’s happening in our own lives. And I’m going to do just that by looking at all the good things that happened to me this week

• I went to two beautiful Bar Mitzvahs both with magnificent outlooks

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One at the Museum of Contemporary Art

And one at Bronte Beach

How amazingly lucky am I to live in this city? And to live in a home where even my dog can’t resist the view

 

• My nephew did amazingly well in his HSC. Not that I am surprised. He is as smart as he is as all round amazing. Any profession that gets him would benefit from his calm, beautiful and compassionate presence.
• My niece got a new job and she’s going to excel at it. They too are lucky to have her. My sister makes very special children.
• I received the most beautiful message from one of my eldest friends, one who has seen me at my worst and who still loves me even though she knows all my bad bits. Thanks Gab. Thank you so much.
• It’s school holidays.
• I found a meme that sums me up perfectly

• I went to the doctor and even though I have a chest infection, a fever and feel all round yugh, he told me to stay in bed. So I DO get to stay in bed but it’s under doctor’s orders. I love my bed and even though it does no good to anybody else there is no place I would rather be right now – so I’m viewing it as a good thing.

What good things happened to you this week?