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| The Hideous Milk Demon |
What do you do when things go wrong – when you get egg all over your face and mis-manage situations? I know what I do – I blame everyone in the search for a scapegoat – except myself. The Hideous Milk Demon (thank you Joseph O’Hughes for the picture) reminds us of the dangers of upset emotion. It is, after all, no good crying over spilt milk. And it’s no good lashing out at those who left the milk out.
Upsetting emotion can spill all over others and bring unintended ruin as a consequence. It is far better to build a good and safe container that doesn’t spill. That way we can look at ourselves, own up to the mistakes and, as friend Christopher counselled me, “do not be disheartened”.
Friend, Simon Marsh, reminds us of the importance of positive psychology. Positive psychology underlines the importance of positive emotions to help us become more creative and flexible, as well as becoming more optimistic, resilient and “socially connected”. Positive emotions loosen the hold of negative emotions, and according to research reported by Barbara Fredrickson, help us to live up to ten years longer.
Prayer helps the positive emotions. Like this prayer picked up from this morning’s Daily Prayer:
Faithful God, let your word be the treasure of our hearts, that we may delight in your truth and walk in the glorious liberty of your Son Jesus Christ.
The spilt milk demon. I’ll get over it.
Grits and Grains 
>Many thanks David. Seligman's Authentic Happiness is a good read and I've enjoyed this clip. I've also been fascinated by your photo. Was the milk spilt just like that? … or was the demon cleverly fashioned? Potentially another of those theological conundrums eh?! Thanks for keeping in touch. I check out your blog every day. 🙂
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