Feeling Good

... and The Cheryl Cole Paradigm


“Sleep in peace when day is done, that’s what I mean.”

Nina Simone

“Bye! Take care!”

That’s what my Aunt says to me when I leave her house.  It would always annoy me.  To me, it implied that the world is dangerous and I should be careful, even frightened of it.  I used to admonish her, “You shouldn’t say take care”, I’d moan.  And she looked put out. 

Now I welcome it.  And thank her wholeheartedly.  In fact, to anyone who says it, I respond “Thank you!! You too!”, because, I think now that ‘Take Care’ has another meaning. 

Take care of your appearance.

Take care of your health. 

Take care of your possessions. 

Take care in your work. 

Take care of everything you do.

And it serves as a reminder to do the right thing.

There are three advantages to it, I believe.  One, your life will become richer as your invest your heart into what you are doing.  Two, the world around you will notice that you take care of things and it may well engender their trust.  Three, the things you do will increase in quality.

“In this business, you want to be known as the Master or the Caretaker.  I’m known as ‘The Master’”.  So says the bodywork specialist, at McLaren supercars, whose job it is to make sure that their cars' exterior is perfect.  Do you think he will ever be out of a job with that attitude?

A ‘caretaker’ is seen as a lowly job with a free brown coat.  Actually, being known as the person who takes care is the highest honour with which you could be bestowed.  If you look at successful people, they take care over everything. 

Looking good, feeling good

Someone who reminds me of this is Cheryl Cole.  Yes, she’s pretty attractive and all that.  But she is also a paradigm of perfection.  Never a hair out of place.  You never see her unprepared.  She takes care.  So, people find her attractive.  It’s a virtuous circle.

I took care over a little project recently.  It took me little effort really.  But my project stood out and impressed the person who saw it.  Because I had taken care over it.  That was all.

In the maths books I write, and in my tutoring, I take exceeding care to get every word and nuance correct so the student floats through a world of understanding, pleasure, entertainment and regular penny-drop sensations, which leaves them wanting to continue.

Another phrase is ‘be careful’.  We take it to mean…’watch out!’.  But, literally it says ‘be full of care’.  That is a perfect statement and an audacious goal.  If we did everything in this way, taking care of the result; our homes would be cleaner, tidier, more organised.  As would our lives.

If we take care over every job we do, we will become known as the Caretaker.

We would feel good, and sleep in peace when day is done.

Take care.

Something In The Air

I’ve always wanted to learn to fly.


Aeroplanes, that is. My favourites are the ones that look the most dramatic and are not necessarily the fastest. I’m talking the Tornado F3 and the Spitfire.


Pilots, it seems to me, embody three main personality traits. Truth, passion and courage. Truth, in that they must never let themselves be fooled, or think they can do something they can’t. Passion, because they’ll talk the hind legs of a donkey about a pitot tube. And courage, because they trust themselves, and their skills, to allow them to be at the mercy of a single propeller.


For years, I’ve kept an eye on a website which offers the whole course in France. It was offered by an English woman, who had set herself up in a place she described as ‘Nearly Heaven’. I was inspired.


The thought was beautiful to me. Flying toward a blue horizon, with stunning landscapes and glaringly strong sunshine, a blend that makes my heart sing. For a similar feeling, listen to the song ‘One Day Like This’ by Elbow.


But, life gets in the way. Family, writing maths books, money…they are the priorities. This year though, I felt I’d carved out enough money and time for this little jaunt to France for 2 weeks next summer.


I visited the site, and launched an enquiry, stating what dates I could do and how I was looking forward to it. Then I noticed the last blog post. An entry by her daughter. "Sadly, at 8.50am today, my mother passed away".


Her "wings permanently clipped".


Further entries announced the funeral and many, many well-wishers.


Then, the eulogies. All about an amazing character who touched everyone she met and lived life by her own rules.


A woman who was the first female jockey in England. She had to overcome prejudice and being whipped mid-race by other jockeys.


A woman who, after a horse-related accident, was unable to walk for 3 years. A woman who, when she found was unable to walk, decided that was the ideal time to get her commercial pilot's licence!


A woman who was the only female English instructor in all of France. Again, she had to overcome prejudice in an all-male environment, having to be "better than the men" to prove herself.


Now, I imagine, she is flying in the blue skies of heaven.


Until last night, I did not even know what she looked like.


Coincidentally, a documentary about English people living in France was aired last night, and they featured her, shortly before she died. Her joie de vivre, passion for her profession, and satisfaction she had at overcoming these obstacles in her life, easily came across.


So, it is with deep anguish I announce this bit of wisdom. Do it now.


I never met this woman, but she sounded like someone I would have liked and admired. Her attitude to life was amazing. And now I’m regretting I didn’t share that attitude.


Maybe her spirit is in those blue skies over France. Maybe I will find it if I fly there.


I regret I will never meet her.


Unless I make it to heaven.