The Meaning of Life

Posted on by Opher

Having lived a long life I have had time to think and review. These are my thoughts on what constitutes a worthwhile existence:

a. I find it admirable for a person to spend their life in the realms of creativity – dance, writing, drama, poetry, art, design and music.

b. I find it highly worthy to spend one’s life helping others, in caring professions – education, nursing, care, medicine, charitable work and surgery

c. I think it fulfilling to spend life in exploration, discovery, science and adventure

d. I would find it worthwhile to spend life in close harmony with nature

e. I would see the worth in reading, introspection and research

f. I think every life should have room for passion and appreciation of the arts

g. I even think there is a place for personal spiritual exploration

h. I can see the value of love of family and the joy of relationship

What I despise is a shallow life based on the acquisition of wealth, the endless pursuit of sex and pleasure, the joy of destruction or violence, the drudgery of routine existence, the seeking of status and social standing, the vacuousness of mundane entertainment and the horror of organised religion.

For while all life, to quote Roy Harper’s words, is meaningless meaning, and ultimately has no purpose, every second is precious; the universe is wondrous and our time is short. Making the most of it seems the imperative.

A worthwhile life is surely worth striving for?

To spend time in trivia is a great waste.

Life has meaning if we choose to use it wisely.

High Tax is Better!!

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I look to the high tax Scandinavian countries and see that they have a far higher standard of living and better quality of life.

I don’t mind paying taxes if they are well spent on the right things.

I want transparency and accountability!

I find it utterly immoral to have a rich country with so many poor desperate people without proper healthcare!

I find it immoral to have billionaire (and Presidents) avoiding paying tax.

I find a high level of inequality completely immoral.

I want the environment and peoples’ welfare properly dealt with.

I greatly value education, science and nature!!

So FUCK TRUMP, MAGA, REFORM and the TORIES!!!

Jane Goodall quotes – Saving the planet and speaking on behalf of the animals who are being butchered.

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Jane is a naturist who first caught my attention from her work with chimpanzees in Tanzania. Way back in the 60s I was captivated by her book – In the Shadow of Man. She is someone I greatly respect who has worked to support wildlife.

Jane Goodall: 50 Years at Gombe

The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Me too. There are millions of creatures being killed daily. If nobody speaks up for them they will continue to be slaughtered. The world is already depleted of its fantastic array of life. Soon they will be gone if we do not do something.

Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.

I am only a writer. The people who make the decisions are the rich and powerful. They have to be made to understand that this cannot go on.

The greatest danger to our future is apathy.

Throughout my teaching career I have strived to get my students thinking. They are the future. They need to be aware and involved.

Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.

We can all make a difference. There are millions of us who care. We have to keep making the powerful aware.

Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right.

We have to keep telling them to stop – there are better ways.

Lasting change is a series of compromises. And compromise is all right, as long your values don’t change.

The bottom line is that the environment needs protecting.

“I don’t have any idea of who or what God is. But I do believe in some great spiritual power. I feel it particularly when I’m out in nature. It’s just something that’s bigger and stronger than what I am or what anybody is. I feel it. And it’s enough for me.”

I’m an antitheist. I do not believe in god and I think that religion is very bad for us, but I do believe in a power that exists in nature, a vibration that connects us to the universe. That is something I’m prepared to call spiritual. That is what requires protection.

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Tory callousness – Not the way to deal with the immigration problem. Ship refugees to Rwanda at massive cost!!!!

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Shipping refugees out to some stalag in Rwanda at colossal expense is not the way to deal with this difficult problem!

There has to be better, more compassionate ways than this!

Poetry – Cooperation Across the Nation

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Cooperation Across the Nation

Cooperation across the nation

We’re getting ready for a fight.

Not competition in this perdition

Preparing for our plight.

So everybody

Everywhere

All together

Let’s go helping

Helping down your street!

Opher – 30.3.2020  (Thank you Martha and the Vandellas)

It’s is amazing how this covid-19 crisis has brought out that community spirit. People are thoughtful, polite and friendly. We’ve been showered with offers of help since we went into isolation. We’ve had leaflets through the door and offers of help from all manner of neighbours.

It feels strange being considered elderly when I am obviously so spritely!

So thank you Martha and the Vandellas! Let’s go helping in the street!!

Social Care – Another Broken Promise!! We pay Twice!! We pay through hike in National Insurance and still lose our house!! Lies Lies Lies!!!

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BREAKING: The House of Commons votes by 272 to 246 for a government amendment to the social care cap that means some of the poorest homeowners in the country will have to sell their homes to pay for care.

Another Broken Promise!!

Johnson promised to fix Care for the elderly. He told us we were going to get a Brexit bonanza for the NHS.

Brexit has cost us £67 billion. Far from a bonanza, it’s a disaster.

So Johnson taxed the poor – raising both income tax and National Insurance to pay for the NHS and Care.

Now they are making us sell our houses anyway!!

How well is Operation Yellowhammer Going

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Operation Yellowhammer spelt out exactly what would happen with a hard Brexit. In 2019 it spelt out rising prices, rising energy costs, empty shelves, things no longer available.

They knew that food and energy prices would increase.

All warned about in advance.

THEY KNEW ALL THIS AND MORE IN ADVANCE!!! THEY KNEW!!

A bit of the good stuff does you good!!

Posted on by Opher

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Sometimes in amongst all the terrible things going on – beheadings, hatred, terrorism, rampant capitalism, trials, abject poverty, overpopulation and environmental degradation, we lose sight of the great things people are doing.

Out there, right now, are a set of saints pulling out all the stops to make things better.

I salute them.

The health workers dealing with Ebola who put themselves at risk

The aid workers helping the refugees

The reporters trying to tell us what is going on in the war zones

The nurses, doctors and orderlies dealing with the sick and dying in the most deprived parts of the world, in our inner cities

The psychologists trying to comfort and rebuild the lives of the tortured, bereaved and traumatised

The people going out of their way to do kind things, help, give, smile, cuddle and love.

The mediators and peace makers

Those who forgive

The creators of beauty

The environmentalists fighting to save a forest, a tree, a species, a single insect.

Those who give sanctuary to an animal or family

Those who succour and care

Those who give more than they can afford

The educators who are building a better future through knowledge, truth and understanding

These are the heroes! These are the people who deserve medals! These are the people who make life worth living!

Fascism and fanaticism are killed by education and good deeds – not bombs! Help build a better zeitgeist!

So who did I miss out who is deserving of our thanks?