A regular health and lifestyle column from Corinne Yeadon, of the Being Better private therapy practice based in Newmarket Street, Skipton

THE Best Laid Plans…

Recently my eldest daughter was informed that her July wedding had been postponed until a date could be selected for next year.

As with most weddings, this event had been in the planning stages for the past two years and the date bore significance due to coinciding with their fifteen-year relationship anniversary. I suspect the matrimonial planning far supersedes two years. My daughter was the kind of little girl who floated around with the pillow case on her head enrobed in net curtains.

It is easy to minimise the distress felt about a cancelled occasion or event when there are lives being lost. I am aware of numerous landmark birthdays amongst family and friends over the next couple of months. Plans were not restricted to parties but once in a lifetime holidays and the gathering of loved ones from across the globe.

A friend recently confessed to feelings of upset about birthday plans being cancelled, while equally feeling that there were bigger things going on therefore she was not entitled or justified in having these feelings. Feelings are not something we are permitted or prohibited to have. The suffering of others may provide perspective on emotions but does not necessarily diminish feelings of disappointment or sadness.

Now more than ever, we need events to look forward to. People are demonstrating incredible feats of resilience and creativity when celebrating occasions with restrictions and boundaries. The world is a very different environment and people are adapting to it and declaring future celebratory aims and intentions to rival VE Day 1945 and the year 2000 rolled into one!

A therapist friend of mine informed me of the old Japanese art of ‘Kintsugi’ where broken pottery is repaired with gold, resulting in it being more beautiful than its original state. I believe this is symbolic not only of future events but of people and relationships.