Good Times

I was walking along with my daughter the other day, chatting about princesses and dragons, and the general lack of evil fairies - like you do, and she asked me why the flowers die.

OK, well, my first (Buddhist) answer was, "well honey, all things die - the flowers have had their time to bloom and be pretty, and their little life is over until next year."

"Have they gone to Heaven?" She then asked.

I told her that they probably didn't go to Heaven, because part of them was still alive underground - waiting for next Spring. It was more like going to sleep for a whole year.

"Are you going to die Daddy?"

"Yep. Sometime. Hopefully not for another 53 years though."

(I'm planning on living to be 100 - it's a nice round figure.)

And so the conversation went on - soon to drift back to evil fairy queens and princes with horses that talk.

But that naturally led me to think about the whole mortality thing, and how we cannot take the smallest thing for granted, because, truly, we really don't know when the end will come, do we?

I was going home from work in London one day and was trying to decide, take the tube from St James to Embankment and then main line from Charing Cross, or walk to Victoria and take the main line from there. I stood for about 5 minutes trying to decide, but in the end took the tube to Embankment.

When I got home I turned on the TV and there on the news, news flash, a bomb had detonated at Victoria station, many killed and injured...

So, my point is - be aware of your own mortality - I don't mean be morbid, wrap yourself in perpetual sorrow, constantly look for signs of your imminent demise - I mean just be aware that at some point, it'll happen. Hopefully not for many many years, but how would you feel if you have a tiff with your wife, son, daughter, husband, mother - and they take the mainline train from Victoria that day?

I watched Remember Me on Sky movies the other evening and was amazed at how it ended. It made me realise we should not take our lives for granted. Look for the good times in every day, leave the bad stuff behind, keep your disagreements short and don't part with loved ones in anger.

Isolation

I was driving along the other day when I think I discovered something. I was watching how other drivers were so intent on their own little bubble of being that they were (on the whole) totally oblivious to the other road users - like the car waiting to pull out for, oh, forever. Or the car behind flashing its lights because the one in front's indicators were still flashing two miles down the road.

Then I realised it's not just drivers. It's just people. The guy in the queue in front of me dropped some cash on the floor, so I picked it up and tapped him on the shoulder, and, well, several taps later and a loudish "excuse me" and he finally acknowledges me.

Then there are the people that stand right in the doorway having a chat with a friend - totally oblivious to the hoards of other people all trying to squeeze through.

There are the people that insist on getting on the bus whilst people are trying to get off.

And so I have come to the conclusion that, it seems, most people do not see, or know, or care what goes on outside their little bubble. The rest of the world isn't real. The people walking by are just extras in the background of the film that's playing outside of their peripheral vision.

Now obviously I'm generalising - I know for the most part, we all live in our bubbles, and we all venture our consciousness outside of them occasionally, maybe even frequently. But my theory is people rarely pay the slightest bit of attention to other people unless it's likely to impact upon them, because they're totally wrapped up in their own little world.

I don't mean this to sound harsh. I'm not saying people are selfish, or self-centred. I'm just saying that, well, they don't know the guy that's been waiting to pull out of that side road for the last 5 minutes, and anyway, they're in a hurry themselves, and why should they be the one to slow down and give the guy a break? No one would bother doing it for them, right?

I invite your comments - because I personally would like to change the world. I would like to see more cooperation, more giving way, more consideration for others. Less being so wrapped up in our own worlds that we forget there are 6 billion other people out there too, all struggling day to day the same as we are - and that maybe, the next time you're waiting to pull out of that side road, the person that lets you out just read this the day before!

Change

Welcome back - welcome forwards - welcome to 2011.

We all make decisions to change our ways in the New Year - we wish each other good luck, good health, prosperity and new opportunities in the New Year, don't we?

Well, my new year resolution is going to be to treat each day as a New Year's Day - and I'm going to wish everyone - not just those people I know, but everyone in the World, whether they be atheist, Muslim, Taoist, New Age, stupendously healthy or very very ill. No matter what country of the world they live in or come from, no matter what their belief or culture - I'm going to wish them good things throughout 2011.

Peace, Friendship, Love, Goodwill.

My gifts to the World for 2011

Happy New Year!

Life and This Wonderful World

I had a real "isn't this all wonderful" moment today. I was sat in Waterstones book store sipping my cappuccino with extra shot, watching a father comfort his upset daughter because she'd burnt her lip on her hot chocolate. Out the window my beautiful city was going about its pre-Christmas business and all was right with the world!

I posted on my Facebook profile that I loved this life and this world, despite its flaws - and I meant it. The world may be a place of horror and fear for some people, it might be squalid and diseased to others, unfair, destructive, sick and evil - but the World is what it is - Planet Earth, beautiful in every way.

This planet knows nothing of good or evil - it just IS.

The people that populate it are what they are - a diverse and interesting mix of people; with differing ideals and beliefs. Some hate others, some wish only to look for love. There is racism and idealism, tolerance and intolerance, religion and fanaticism, wisdom and ignorance, hard work and sloth.

This Life is all I have, and so I love it. I love it for what it is. It is like a lump of clay that fills my palm - I cannot build a house with such a small amount, I cannot make a tree from it that will grow and produce fruit. I can only work with what I have. Like a poker player, I have to play with the cards I am dealt, and make the best with what I have - and so I do not yearn for more, I do not seek bigger, better, greater things. I do not try to understand all things, but by the same token, I do not disregard that which I do not understand.

I try to live in harmony with all things, accept all things, behave towards all things how I would wish them to behave towards me. I do not hate other races "because my father hates them", I choose to make my own opinions and my own decisions - and I hate no one. Well, almost - I'm not that keen on people that steal and lie - but hey, I'm only human, right?

Anyway - sipping my coffee, watching the world go by, thinking of my family and friends - I realise, truly, how LUCKY I am, how blessed I am, how truly Honoured I am, to have a moment in this World, this Life, to experience these wonderful things and to be a part of them.

I hope, by now, you do too.

Life's Little Struggles

There I was , thinking the other day, "Why can't I just have it easy for once?"

Life does like to present us with a few obstacles every now and then, doesn't it?

Sometimes more than a few - more than we deserve, eh?

Well, I got a theory.

(Yeah, I know you already knew that... just give me a sec)

We all know that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

We know that every trial brings its reward.

We know that the lessons hardest learned are easiest remembered.

And so on.

So, my theory is - Life is Hard to Teach Us.

Yep - that's it.

I think we have all these trials to teach us to be better, smarter, faster, more resilient, more creative, more honest, more empathic, more wise, more compassionate, more centred, more loving, more giving, more enlightened.

I think every hardship brings a greater reward.

This is all true. I know it is - so do you.

But

What's the point?

Ultimately, we're all going to die.

So what's the point being smart, creative, loving, honest, centred etc when you're dead?

All that struggling, and then pthhhuuh, Game Over.

Like the saying goes "Life's a Bitch, and then you die."

Well, I think we go through all this so that we can make life easier for the next generation.

For everything I learn the hard way, I'm hoping my daughter will get there a bit quicker and less painfully as I did - so yes, it will be worth it in the end.

Maybe that's the point? Maybe we really do live on in our kids?

I'll tell you one thing that's certain though - no matter how hard things get, I always keep one eye on the end, because I know it'll pass, and when it does I'll come out the other end a little bit stronger, a little bit wiser and who knows, maybe my daughter will too?

Busy

I've been very busy. Oh yes, I have.

I've filled my days with chores and work, jobs that have needed doing but I've never had the time.

Jobs that need doing before winter sets in, before the family get home, before the light fades.

Get up and straight into the action, rush here, grab that, dash off, fill my hours with 60 minutes of busy.

But I'm sat here now thinking of all the stuff I've missed today. I almost missed coffee with my wife at lunchtime because I was so busy. I almost missed chatting with my daughter on the way home from school because I was too busy thinking about cooking tea when I got in. I missed the sunset because I was too busy doing something else.

Do you know - it's nearly October and I can only account for about three months! All the rest of this year has been swept away in a blur of busy. That's time I'll never get back!

So, take a tip from me - make sure your not so busy that you miss your life passing by. Take a few moments every now and then during the day to pause, take a breath and take stock of what's going on. "Be present in the moment." as Zen Buddhists say.

Apocalypse?

It started, I think, with Revelations. Nostradamus took up the baton - although I suspect there were many others in between proclaiming "the end is nigh", but as the written word was rare in "those" days, it's not surprising we don't know about their warnings.

But in this last decade we have a glut of apocalypse movies - The Day The earth Stood Still (remake), The Day After Tomorrow, 2012... Those are the ones that trip off my tongue, but I know there are more.

It seems we, er... I mean "We" are aware of the damage we are doing to this planet.. ooh, Medicine Man, that's another from, er, 1992 - depicts the unseen damage caused by mass deforestation bu corporate giants... The damage we are doing, and yet seem incapable of halting, to this planet.

What amazes me is the myopic nature of these greedy giants. Gas guzzling vehicles, power hungry systems, non-green power sources, unsustainability. Is no one thinking "what about my grandchildren?"

Apparently not!

We have the knowledge, the technology, the capability. It's not like we are ignorant. It's not like we don't know how to save ourselves. No. Alas, it's all about hard cash. Because if!t's hard to charge for free stuff! Run a car off solar power - no petrol needs, no exorbitant taxes, no desire to control the governments of oil-rich countries, no politics, no profits, no power. (In the Political sense, I mean). Politics - it meant Policy - something the majority decided was the best course of action - not a short-sighted, knee-jerk reaction. In those days they lived in harmony with their environment, they didn't consume it at a rate faster than it could regenerate.

Every person that wished to attend a debate was entitled to, and their say was heard - from the lowest person to the highest - each voice was equal. That was Democracy. If you could not be bothered to attend, or chose not to speak, well - so be it. You left your fate in the hands of another. Democracy these days seems to entail invading another country and telling them to behave like you. Nay, forcing them to. When I vote, I vote for someone I hope will reflect my views in Government - but I as an individual really don't have much say. In a true democracy, my voice - and I mean MY voice, would be heard.

Anyway, back to the point - a glut of Apocalypse themes - we know we're close to self-destruction - but my question is this Why are only those that already know this, listening?