A while ago (it was back in Sydney, so that’s at least a year and a half) I came across an analogy to do with mental health, depression, stress—something like that—and how we cope with stuff. It might even have been something to do with cancer. The writer was saying that she (pretty certain it was a ‘she’) had days where she just couldn’t cope with things, or people, and it was like teaspoons. She’d start the day with a limited number of teaspoons, but different events and people would cause differing numbers of teaspoons to be used up. On a bad day, she’d run out of teaspoons and just couldn’t cope with whatever it was that needed those teaspoons.

I found the analogy to be pertinent, but I didn’t note where I found it. Certain events recently led me to think of it again, and in explaining it I’d love to be able to find the source. A quick google throws up Shakesville, and a very useful but different analogy (essentially, you can empty the ocean if you have enough teaspoons = enough people doing small things will change the world) but that’s not what I had in mind.

Anybody any idea at all what I’m talking about?