By Jim Ingebrigsten
“Worry is like a rocking chair:
it gives you something to do but
never gets you anywhere.”
– Erma Bombeck
Alfred E. Newman is the familiar, freckle-faced, fictitious character that emblazoned almost all of the 550 issues of MAD Magazine before its demise in 2018. “What, me worry?” was his motto. He first appeared in 1954 shortly before I remember actually worrying.
I overheard my mother telling someone I had a nervous stomach. Up until that moment I had no idea there was anything wrong with me. Somehow it went away, whatever that was, if I even had it. Still, it was enough to cause me to worry. Then a couple of years later I was in the hospital for a week because my mother thought I might have rheumatic fever. Now I had something else to worry about. It turned out I had growing pains. Now that I think about it, perhaps my mother was my biggest pain. The pains went away and then, so did the worry. At least for about four years.
I was around eleven when I heard my mother having a conversation about her time working at the Ninette Sanatorium where they treated people infected with tuberculosis. Well, wouldn’t you know it … even though she worked there long before I was born, I wondered if maybe some of those germs had rubbed onto me. Thankfully, I made a full recovery. It was a miracle.
Then, in 1962, along came the Cuban Crisis. Do you remember the testing of air raid sirens? If you do, you’ll also remember practicing taking cover under our desks at school. I wonder whose idea that was? I don’t know about you but, it was enough to make me worry.
There were a ton of worries we all had during our adolescent years and then came the real worries of adulthood. There is a long litany of worries we endured. I’ll list a few but, only a few as I don’t want you to get worked up in a tizzy.
Financial and job security top the list. There’s world politics, family, health and aging are especially worrisome as the pages of the calendar fly by. There are millions of us who worry if there will still be enough funds in CPP and OAS not just for us but for our children as well. And that’s another worry, children. I have often said, “The only thing that changes as our children get older are the worries.”
In recent times of course, Covid-19 was a big worry for most of us. It seems to have subsided somewhat but it never really went away and recently I heard it’s making a comeback. Don’t worry about it. We have vaccines. If you have to worry, worry about the people who refuse to get the needle because they think it’s all a conspiracy. Or, if you’re all out of worries, maybe worry about Mpox (formerly known as Monkey Pox) now considered a global health threat. Again, there are vaccines being stockpiled just in case it appears in this country.
Mark Twain who was quoted as saying, "I am an old man, and I have suffered a great many catastrophes in my life but, most of them never happened."
In other words, don’t be a worry wart. Easier said than done I know but, here are just a few things you can do to move forward and leave your worries behind.
- Stop and think about how important a particular worry really is in your life. Even small worries can become overwhelming if we spend too much time thinking about them.
- Talk to friends or family about what is bothering you. Sharing your feelings can actually make you feel better and belay your worries, or some of them.
- Keep busy. Sitting around moping all day isn’t going to solve anything. Do something active, read, get involved with a hobby or some activity that is useful or productive.
- Take care of all aspects of your health.
- Try to maintain friendships with people who are positive and generally happy.
- If excessive worrying is affecting your daily life, getting professional help might be the answer.
Don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill or as my mother-in-law will often say, “Don’t meet your troubles halfway.” Remember: Worry is interest paid in advance for a debt you may never owe.
Worrying excessively is mentally draining and often unproductive but generally, psychologists suggest, some worrying is good. It can make us stop and think the problem through and come up with a positive solution.
If that doesn’t work, perhaps one of the following might. I recently discovered there are small hand-held objects called worry frogs, worry worms and worry slugs. I assume that holding one of the objects in your hand and rubbing them will alleviate any worry troubling you. I find it curious that any one of those things would be considered unpleasant and even worrisome to hold in your hand. There is also the basic worry stone which might provide the same form of relief. You can collect them and store them in a worry jar for safe keeping.
In the inimitable words of George Carlin: Don’t sweat the petty stuff and don’t pet the sweaty stuff.
Oh, in 1962 only three countries had nuclear weapons totaling about 2,600. Currently there are nine countries with just over 12,000 warheads. Do you have a desk you can hide under? Don’t worry; have a nice day.
Listen to Jim’s podcasts on Lifestyles 55 Digital Radio. Find Radio Redux, and Mid-Century Memories at www.whatsupwinnipeg.ca/lifestyles-55digital-radio/
