Dear LPG, 

While having a little look around the internet not so long ago, I came across some not so positive statistics and I have no doubt that most readers will not really be surprised that that happened.    There appears to be so much negativity around us that, with hindsight, the 1970s and 1980s were not half as bad even though I was just as good at seeing the not so positive back then too.  

For many who are now pensioners, we moaned about the changes which were beginning to be seen at our single doctors’ surgeries as they became part of health centres while our schools, hospitals, travel, jobs and so much more were also affected. I bet that if we knew then what we know now we would have not complained half as much then and I look to the future being fairly grateful that I will not be around to see how things turn out while I worry about what sort of a world my grandchildren will retire in.

I hope that not too many of us present pensioners look at our personal life journeys so far, and our futures with too much negativity although, those statistics tell that about a quarter of all UK over 65 year olds are depressed to some degree.  

I think that we can all agree that life is made up of good times and bad times and, because most of the readers of this website are likely to be looking at it relatively retrospectively, there have to be a few times when we can do so and remember some very positive events even though statistics show that many older people see their present in a somewhat negative light.

I know that one of the messages that is often repeated on these pages is advice about thinking positively and making sure that your future is full of optimistic memories and focus, but I just wanted to repeat it again.  While there is a lot wrong with our world, there is also a lot to be proud of and every one of us had something to do with it.

So, in spite of all the things that are wrong with our world, let’s not forget to also be proud of what is still good about it.  Finding time to focus in on that is a message that cannot be repeated too many times. 

CP, Brockley 

CP shares the statistic which gave rise to her message…

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