My wonderful late stepfather said “Hooray” frequently!
He’d start and end conversations with the jolly word, and in messages too; though he’d often include the nonsensical addition of the word: “sausages”.
Malcolm was great fun, and permanently wore a wide grin; above it was a pair of tatty glasses held together by an old plaster; if that fell off then he’d improvise with sticky tape instead He wore tatty clothes, and often fashioned a piece of rope as his belt. He ate frugally, often foraging for wild produce, or even making meals from old road-kill!
He had very few possessions, choosing to give away the little he did have, to anyone and everybody whom he considered needy. So, his flat was sparse, and functional.
Yet, he was so rich in spirit; he adored wildlife, and could distinguish one species of bird song from another. We’d often wile away the afternoon sitting on his garden bench, – totally absorbed by the free melodic symphonies.
He was so generous with his time: we’d speak and text several times daily, and of course I’d be greeted every morning with his delightful happy message:
“Hooray good morning Emmagiggles, what a wonderful day it’ll be, – sausages” Love Malcy-poos xxx”
He had an assortment of terms of endearment that he’d bestow on me, which started in my childhood. He was the first adult that made me feel bright, in spite of my disability.
On his mobile, he’d modify my name according to his moods: they were always happy and uplifting, since he was never anything but upbeat. A couple that spring to mind include: Wonder woman, and Emma Britannia. I never felt I deserved such accolades, but of course in my subconscious mind, I realised that he was trying to correct my challenging upbringing.
He made me feel worthy. He treated everyone with immense respect, and had an innate desire to make people shine. He was mindful about sharing love, and kindness.
Malcolm was exceedingly intelligent, yet there was no shred of ego. His prized possessions were his countless books; he had a terrific recall and could talk freely about many subjects. But he never wished to hold court, he was all about sharing and caring.
In his lounge he’d devoted an entire wall to helping others. He used chalk-board paint to fashion a blackboard. On it would be a mix of random people’s thoughts, or work-in-progress, since he liked to help people with their studies. He was midst teaching his Polish friend English, when he passed away…
Other than an old washing machine and fridge, his sofa and books; the rest of Malcolm’s possessions, could probably only fill a box or two.
But having lived hidden on a roundabout for several years’: Malcolm felt blessed when he was eventually re-housed to a council flat. He cherished his communal gardens, and considered his home to be like a palace. His flat door was permanently wedged open: “In case any poor soul needs a bed or a cup of tea”.
Malcolm was the richest person I have ever met. You can imagine how much I loved and learnt from him.
His financial poverty meant nothing to him. He was solely interested in spreading joy and warmth to the many people who were lucky enough to cross his path.
The value of his churlish nature is in my soul forever; the magnitude of simply using happy words to spread happiness cannot be underestimated.
Feel free to borrow a little from Malcolm. I know he’d be thrilled if you did!
Help your day, or those you care about to start off with a light-hearted greeting, and enjoy spreading smiles as you do. Most of us are dealing with problems, yet there’s always room for laughter!
I hope this is helpful.
SUNNY wishes,