“I used to stand before the mirror and look deep into my unhappy eyes, sigh and say, ‘Oh cruel fate!’ And in a few minutes, I felt a little bit better.” This is what Moominpappa used to say. Sometimes life presents us with challenges that are difficult to get through, and this practice can actually help.
Bright Side has prepared a collection of situations in which this small exercise could help us to look at the future with optimism.
1. Oh, no, no, no…
2. Well, now it’s pizza time!
3. Maybe rent will be a bit lower now?
4. When you aren’t careful enough:
5. This ice cream came without a cone.
6. Yes, these are peanuts in a Coca-Cola bottle.
7. My view from the top of Machu Picchu Mountain and what the view could have been:
8. At least they found what they were looking for.
9. Now I know what a bottomless cup of coffee looks like.
10. Just got to my therapy appointment. It seems to be off to a bad start…
11. Don’t blame him. He hasn’t finished the book yet.
12. Spice up your life!
13. “Our youngest son has a taste for irony.”
14. “I just built a new house for myself.”
Are you upset when you fail to do something or when unexpectedly bad days sneak up on you? Do you think Moominpappa’s advice can help with this? Share your stories with us!
Preview photo credit IsProbablyLying4 / Reddit
I Incurred a $500 Fine When My Neighbor Falsely Accused My Son of Her Toddler’s Hallway Scribbles — I Couldn’t Let It Go
Caitlin often found herself informally supervising her neighbor Stacy’s young son, Nate, providing him some stability while his mom sought time for herself. However, when Nate decorated the hallway walls with doodles during Caitlin’s absence, she was unjustly slapped with a $500 fine. Determined to set things right, Caitlin devised a plan for retribution.
Stacy had become accustomed to letting her young son, Nate, roam the hallway as a play area.
“It’s safe, Caitlin,” she’d assure me. “Plus, it’s their version of outdoor play.”
She would then retreat behind her door, leaving Nate to his devices, often while she entertained guests.
“I just need some downtime,” she confessed to me once in the laundry room. “I’m a grown woman with needs, you know. Being a single mom, you must get it.”
I understood her need for personal space, but I could never imagine letting my own son, Jackson, wander the hallways alone. Despite our general familiarity with the neighbors, the corridors didn’t feel completely secure.
Jackson, slightly older than Nate, seemed concerned about the younger boy, who often loitered alone, clutching his tattered teddy bear.
“Mom,” Jackson would say during his playtime, “maybe we should invite him over.”
Grateful for my son’s compassion, I agreed. It was better to keep both children within sight, ensuring their safety.
Thus, we began having Nate over for snacks, toys, and movies—a simple arrangement that brought him noticeable joy.
“He mentioned he likes playing with others,” Jackson noted one day. “I don’t think his mom spends much time with him.”
And interestingly, Stacy hardly acknowledged this setup. Once she realized Nate was safe with us, she seemed to extend her leisure time even more.
Eventually, it became routine for Nate to knock on our door whenever his mother let him out.
“Hello,” he’d say, teddy in hand. “I’m here to play.”
However, one day, we were away at my parents’ house for my mom’s birthday.
“I hope Nate will be okay,” Jackson expressed concern as we drove.
“Oh, honey,” I responded. “His mom is there. She’s responsible for his safety too.”
Upon our return, we were greeted by hallway walls covered in childish drawings—a colorful chaos of stick figures and squiggles.
“Nate must have had fun,” I remarked, searching for my keys.
“Isn’t he going to be in trouble?” Jackson asked, eyeing the artwork.
Leave a Reply