Chimp, give me a break

Dear Reader,

 A little time ago I read a very interesting book called "The Chimp Paradox" by Professor Steve Peters. My daughter Jessica gave it to me knowing that I am always very anxious and thought I might enjoy it.  I did and I do.  It introduced to me the idea that in my head lives a chimp.  This chimp looks after me sees that I come to no harm and alerts me me to danger.  He sees danger everywhere. Whilst he had been very helpful in the past, I now want, and live, a pretty peaceful life and wish he would calm down a bit. But he likes to be active and I think stops me from doing very ordinary things which, if I challenged myself, I could do. I managed to drive somewhere this week which I would have thought, on advice from the chimp, was impossible. But I did it and was proud of myself.  I haven't driven much since lockdown and have lost confidence driving in a town. I love the chimp and don't want him to leave me, just to let me be a little more peaceful.

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From Dorothy Wordsworth, November 24th, 1801, in Westmorland

'I read a little Chaucer, prepared the goose for dinner, and then we all walked out.  I was obliged to return for my fur tippet and spencer, it was so cold .....  It was very windy, and we heard the wind everywhere about us as we went along the lane, but the walls sheltered us....As we were going along we were stopped at once,  the distance perhaps of 50 yards from our favourite birch tree.  It was yielding to the gusty wind with all its tender twigs, the sun shone upon it, and it glanced in the wind like a flying sunshiny shower.......We came home over the stepping stones.  The Lake Grasmere was foamy with white waves.'

 

From John Ruskin, November 24th, 1857, in Denmark Hill, Surrey

'Very wet. But quiet, and the birds singing all sorts of delicate airs, richly, as it it were spring.' 

 

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Chimp, give me a break

 

This Chimp lives in my head,
he is my protector,
my guardian.
He works hard, too hard,
he sees danger everywhere,
alerts me to it every day.
Obviously he loves me,
doesn't want any harm to befall me,
but I am losing patience
with him, he overdoes it.

Surely I can drive without
serious problems arising?
Surely I can shop without
a gunman pinning me down?
Surely I can have a drink
without cirrhosis of the liver?
Surely that noise was a car backfiring,
not a gun shot?

Advice ad infinitum,
Chimp, please, give me a break.

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With very best wishes, Patricia