I must be feeling confident as I committed myself to a challenge that is way outside my comfort zone. A couple we know were celebrating their fifteenth wedding anniversary and decided to have a bash at a local social club. They normally held quite large events at their home but this was obviously far larger due to the change of venue. Although I was anxious when I committed to going it was not until we went to leave that I felt highly uncomfortable. Although I am trying to lose weight by cutting out alcohol amongst other things, for this particular evening I thought a treat was in order, but also by having a drink I would hopefully relax and enjoy it.
We arrived early and only a few people were there. The husband ushered me to the bar so that he could buy us some drinks. My first pint seemed to taste different to that of what I remember. When my weight started to get out of control I had switched to just drinking wine so this pint of cider was my first for several months. I drank my way through it and it was followed by a couple more over the next two hours. Not being used to the alcohol I felt its affects. Unfortunately there was no merry phase but my head was decidedly uncomfortable. We had agreed to leave quite early as my mother-in-law was baby sitting and we knew the evening was going to be a challenge for me as well as my wife’s arthritis.
We were sitting with some friends and the evening was a nice change but the affects of the alcohol were making me wish we could leave. I did not wish to ask my wife to go but the longer I put it off the highly my anxiety grew. I knew that if I left it unchecked I would get into trouble. I decided not to ask but subtly got my worry beads out of my pocket and started to use them. In the immortal words of Monte Python in Life of Bryan, my wife noticed and thought, “’tis a sign” and she asked me was I ready to go. I confirmed and we made our way home.
The learning from this was that worry beads can also be used as a prompt to loved ones to know you are anxious and to take steps to help you get out of stressful situations. In hindsight I should have set up the use of worry beads as being a sign that it was time to go, but lesson learnt for next time.
Kevin
The English Worry Bead
