Penny was right. How and why had Catherine put up with the Daltons for so long?
Of course, it hadn’t all been bad. Francesca mainly stayed out of her way, and Jeremy was easy enough to get along with. Even so, it was ironic she’d kept this insanity so close for all these years considering she was a medical psychotherapist.As is Jeremy.
Did it say something about her as well as them?Probably.
Catherine sipped her chamomile and tried not to think about where Francesca might be and whether she was alright. When Alice had mentioned that she’d seen her earlier in the day, and that she’d seemed upset, Catherine had rather callously scoffed.Francesca doesn’t do upset; she’s devoid of emotional intelligence.And even if Francesca were upset, Catherine really didn’t care.
Except she clearly did still care, but that wasn’t helpful, so she got up and dressed for her morning walk.
OM-THE-GO
2024
You don’t need silence to find calm.
Even here, in the rush of life, it waits for you…
Feel the ground beneath your feet — steady, certain, holding you.
Lift your gaze. Notice something beautiful you might have missed — a ray of sunlight bursting through the clouds or a splash of colourful foliage.
Breathe with your stride – inhale, exhale, let the rhythm carry you, flowing with each step.
Remember — motion can be meditation in disguise.
To Catherine’s amazement, her mini-blog was a hit. Jeremy was delighted. Web traffic and engagement were up for the third month in a row, and evengood-natured Alice complained about all the extra calls and appointments she had to squeeze into their schedules.
“We’re having to turn clients away! It’s a happy problem,” chirped Jeremy. His face only fell slightly when Catherine batted back that it was essentially other people’s misery making him happy… and richer.
But she had to admit to herself she was enjoying the blogging experience, especially the little dopamine buzz with every page refresh that revealed a heart-shaped hit waiting for her. The blogs had attracted comments here and there, a little positive feedback adding to the weight of the likes and spurring her on to get creative and write more.
Karen: Amazing! This actually worked.
Sunita_K: Such simple tips, but they always help.
McRainbow83: The feet thing… game-changing!
One particular commenter had caught Catherine’s eye. Their tone was different: humorous, with a hint of sarcasm.
Betty77: Who’d have thought breathing would improve my commute? But somehow it does :)
Catherine didn’t normally feel the need to reply to comments, but when Betty’s name appeared, her fingers twitched, and eventually she caved and sent her a private message.
Dr.T:
Maybe don’t breathe too deeply while navigating public transport systems.
Betty77:
Ha! Thanks for the caveat, Doc. Can you imagine me choking on a rogue fart while trying to get my zen on?!
Dr.T:
Goodness, that would be a weight on my conscience. Please be careful out there; I wouldn’t want you passing out because someone had passed wind.
Betty77:
Noted. Thanks for the warning x
