Quora | What feels like a loss a

Rylie Duggan, studies Zoology at Michigan State University (2022)
69k Views · 9.2k Upvotes

Canceling plans.

Picture this: You're five years old, and your parents have just told you that tomorrow you're going to the zoo. (Or the carnival, or Disney World, or whatever.)

You're so excited that you can't sleep that night.

But when you wake up in the morning, and run to your parents with your stuffed zebra, ready to see the animals, they tell you something that makes your heart sink.

"Sorry sweetheart, it's raining today. We'll go next week instead."

Crushed. Most likely many tears follow this news.

But as an adult?

In the words of one of the funniest people on Earth (in my opinion), John Mulaney: "In terms of instant relief, canceling plans is like heroin."

There is nothing better than doing nothing. When a social event or family gathering gets canceled or postponed, I feign disappointment over the phone, then smile, change into my pajamas and crawl back in bed.

Don't get me wrong: I love my friends and family very much. And when the circumstances are right, I love hanging out with them. But when my social energy is drained, getting the news that I no longer have an obligation to go out is the best thing in the world.

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▌VOCABULARY:

• carnival: (period of) public festivities and merry-making occurring at a regular time of year, eg in Roman Catholic countries during the week before Lent 狂欢节; 嘉年华会（天主教国家大斋期前一周内的狂欢）；
• stuff: 原料、材料；
  • ~ sth (up) (with sth) fill sth tightly (with sth); cram sth (with sth) （用某物）塞满某物: stuff a pillow (with feathers) （用羽毛）填充枕头；
  • stuffed: 塞满的；
• feign: pretend (sth) 假装, 冒充, 佯作（某事）: feign illness, madness, ignorance, etc 装病、装疯、佯作无知；
• pajamas: (esp US) = pyjamas: loose-fitting jacket and trousers worn for sleeping in, esp by men 睡衣裤（尤指男人的）: a pair of pyjamas 一套睡衣。