UPside Down

I'm challenging myself to write a blog post in 10 minutes right now, and it's freestyle. I started typing in the Title Box above. I didn't mean to capitalise both letters in the first word, but I like it.

Tonight marks the beginning of a Jewish festival, Purim, which is generally speaking a Jewish child's favourite festival as it really is festive - fancy dress, parties, carnival atmosphere and delicious treats. It's not bad for adults either - a chance to dress up and be silly, and we're even *commanded* to get so drunk that we can't tell the difference between the hero and the villain in the retelling of the traditional story each year.

And I hate it.

I am a total killjoy when it comes to Purim, especially when it's on a Monday evening (who wants to drink and have a total bender on a Monday night?!?!) and I've just received an email from Northern Powergrid warning me of powercuts and problems due to the impending snow storm over Yorkshire....

I intended to write the title and write about one of the themes of Purim being about one day in the year when things are upside down as an opportunity to reflect on which way round we should see the world, and not always take everything at face value.

But I like the way my sticky keyboard produced the title - looking for the UP side. It's not a unique message, indeed Jay Shetty's Daily Jay on the Calm app this morning was all about accentuating the positives, too:

We have a choice, in any given situation, as to how to record that moment in our memories and tell other people about it. We can blame, whine, be bitter and feel victimised, or we can find something, even if it's just that one tiny thing, that is positive and uplifting.

So that's my challenge for Purim this year, and into other parts of my life - even if I'm feeling grumpy or things aren't going my way, to find just that one tiny thing that is positive. To find something uplifting within something that I usually dismiss and don't turn much attention to... to find the UPside in any situation, starting with my least favourite festival tonight...

Happy Purim...!