Evidently training to be a Zen Master, my nine-year old son has declared that I should stop worrying so much by ” removing the meaning and feelings of worry from your mind”.

That’s easy for him to say. 

I come from a long line of pessimists and worriers and was brought up from an early age to  “hope for the best and expect the worst – that way you’re never disappointed”  Much as I’d love to be one, I just don’t understand optimists.  Don’t they realise that unless you worry about everything, constantly, even in your sleep, something terrible might happen and you won’t be prepared for it?