Narrative therapy

Don’t you love a happy ending?  My favourite t-shirt has ‘Once upon a time…’ on the front and  ‘…and they all lived happily ever after’, on the back.  With the wearer as the story in between.  I warm to the Terry Pratchett view of narrative on Disc World where Narrativium is an element, as real as earth, air, fire and water, ensuring everything runs smoothly as a story. “The human mind loves a good dose of Narrativium”.

Fiction offers the enticing possibility that if our hero finds happiness we can too. A good story grips and fascinates and we all love the real magic of well-crafted narrative. And they certainly don’t get much more well-crafted than Downton Abbey, which I’ve been watching again.  The hope of happy endings resounding in every episode, gaining momentum as the story progresses. I can’t really be certain with whom I identify most, but I am very fond of Thomas Barrow, the under butler who starts as a flawed villain but by the end has travelled furthest and learned most from his mistakes.  And for him an almost tragic ending, being saved in the nick of time and discovering for himself that he has a kind heart, after all. My real favourite is Countess Violet who always has the last say, with epithets worthy of Wilde and whose over-arching philosophy underpins the narrative of the whole. What a wonderful performance by Maggie Smith.

There are many other great performances and the whole is not a lot more than an enchanting fairy tale, the final episode abundant with happy endings in almost every scene.  And as it all resolves to its major C chord finale, I can’t help the occasional smile as these characters who have almost become personal friends discover some truth in themselves and as a result find their dreams coming true. With the whole played out against the beautifully dressed set, costumes and John Lunn’s epic score. What a great joy it’s been watching it again. A total suspension of all disbelief, weaving the irresistible threads of narrative therapy.

I know it’s not to everyone’s taste and real life isn’t as idealised, heroic or dramatic as Downton. But it’s given me a sense of possibility and I’ve indulged in it. Learning from mistakes and working towards a happy ending is part of my current purpose.  In the process I feel happy enough …“the English version of a happy ending”, though I refuse to give up hope of a full technicolour version, even if I do know it is only unattainable in fiction.  I do try to keep in mind the words of the Dowager Countess ‘hope is a tease, designed to prevent us accepting reality.’

Accepting reality whilst planning the happy ever after demands that we must be wise, sensible, self-sufficient, optimistic, considerate, canny and careful. Descriptions which suit a man of my years, even if they were somewhat absent in my previous ones. Hindsight is 20:20 vision though so I mustn’t be too hard on myself. The changes involve a lot more careful thinking.

But then nothing changes completely. I’ve taken the first 2022 bookings. May 28th and 29th in Carrington, Lincolnshire, the next in August for the Far Forest Country Show on August 13th and 14th.  Others will follow.  I’m going to take it easy, not take on quite so many and find some assistance to help me put up the stage.  Recommendations welcome if you know of anyone suitable. There’s payment involved, travel costs paid for and a chance to develop performance and life skills if interested.

So the travelling will carry on.  There’s been some interest in the stage and the lorry but I know it will take a while before they find their next keeper.  I’m starting to look at the possibility of the stage going to a permanent home rather than touring.  I think it would look great in a minor stately home.  Or even Downton Abbey.  Now that would be a happy ending.

On the very personal front there’s good news after an ECG last week that I have been given the all-clear for my heart problem.  I don’t need to have the heart-stopping procedure they had booked me in for and I can stop taking the pills.  Great news as they didn’t agree with me.

So it still is all the best from road near you,

Mr Alexander

PS  Thank you to all those who added comments to my Facebook page about dear Mimi.  It still is very painful to think about her, though memories of her sweet life do compensate a little for her absence from ours.