"I really need to go now, we've got the regional manager coming round and he failed us on the availability of soft drinks last time. I don't want the same to happen again." Stuart, the supermarket express store manager, really didn't want to lose his quarterly bonus for a sixth time. Everything else was ok about his assistant, but he was just not too good at ordering the right levels of stock. He didn't want to (or should couldn’t) fire him as it was his son in law and his daughter would give Stuart a hard time if he had fired her husband.

Once upon a time, in a land not so far from here there lived a young Muslim couple in a house by a field. Life couldn't get any better they often said to one another. Then, one day it did. It got better, a lot better (or so they thought). They had a lovely baby daughter who they named Sonia.

They loved her, cared for her, protected her, brought her up with Islamic values, sent her school, sent her to masjid. Made her to wear the hijab to preserve her modesty. How very special she was to them both.

I saw this and remembered: Rawrrs_isarollingstone

I know it’s not really safe. But there’s not many cars about. From glancing down I noticed it’s  a text message from Shabeer, I haven’t heard from him a long while. He always made time for me while I was going through my depressed stage in 6th form. I know what, I’ll just pull up on the side of the road and check the text.

SHABEERS TEXT: Salams bro, can you please call me when you have a minute, I need to discuss a concern I have about a mutual friend of ours.

Oh dear, it sounded serious, so I was glad I’d pulled my car to the side of the road. Now I could safely call him, So I switched off my engine and dialled his number.

“Hello” he answered

“Salams Shabeer, it’s been a long time. Hope you’re well.”

PsyBlog has gone gratitude-mad this week, what with reporting experimental evidence that practicing gratitude can increase happiness by 25% and reviewing 'thanks' , the book by the study's author. To round it off here are Dr Robert Emmons' top 10 tips for actually becoming more grateful, and consequently more happy.

 

1. Keep a gratitude journal

Sit down, daily, and write about the things for which you are grateful. Start with whatever springs to mind and work from there. Try not to write the same thing every day but explore your gratefulness.

(Unverified source but you get the message right?)

When I first saw him I recall thinking I don't want to be seen within 100 miles of this dirty tramp.

I asked my cousin what this guys name is. "They call him Ment"

What a stupid name. What's Ment ment to mean?

"His real name is Moazam" my cousin explained "they call him Ment because he's Mental"

"Oh right, so he's actually mental is he?" he sure looked it.

"I don't no, no one ever takes him seriously or gives him the time of day, he's just Mental"