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.

53 and imploding Kindle/Paperback

Posted on by Opher

I called this an anti-novel. It’s a semi-autobiographical rant that I wrote twenty-two years ago (where does the time go). A curmudgeonly old fart (me) is sitting in his study writing, having a mid-life crisis and seriously looking at the state of his life and the world around him. It’s a dark insight into a state of mind and the ridiculous mess we have made of things. I wrote it as a stream of consciousness. The ideas flowed. I summoned up the spirit of Kerouac and Henry Miller (if not the skill). It’s not like anything else. I enjoyed writing it and, here, twenty-two years later, I’m enjoying visiting with my old self.

It’s available on Amazon if you want to visit with my younger self. I was an angry man. Believe it or not – I am a happy optimist!

Extract from 53 and imploding

How can you be happy when a moronic footballer’s salary is hundreds of thousands a week? Stupid, selfish, greedy Rock Stars, actors and actresses earn millions while elsewhere babies lie bloated for want of a bowl of rice? A millionaire buys a trip on a spaceship while a whole nation festers in their own excrement?

            How can you be happy when you’re sitting there gloating, smug, arrogant, superior and pampered, thinking that your wealth, power, beliefs, abilities, intelligence, make you superior?

Don’t you realise that you’re just a rich, wealthy, arrogant, empty fool whose whole life is built on greed and is utterly, destructively hollow? You are burning your seconds. You are no better or worse than the green slime on my pond, except the green slime performs a worthwhile function. It produces oxygen. You selfishly exist to make your vain self feel important. Are you cultured? – Knowledgeable and superior?

Pah!

I sit on the bench and you all rush to the shops without thinking about the state of affairs around you.

            How can you be happy living in this pointless little existence?

            How can you be happy putting you £2 sop into Oxfam when government policy necessitates the starving of millions of third world children for the good of our economy? Don’t you realise that the G7 could eradicate poverty and inequality if they really wanted? But then that might mean you can only afford three tellies and one car, mightn’t it? You might not want that!

53 and imploding eBook : goodwin, opher: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Poetry – Open Your Eyes

Posted on by Opher

Open Your Eyes

We open our eyes into a wondrous place;

Close them and it is gone.

What gives it meaning?

‘Curing the sick,’

Says the physician,

Operating on the tiny child.

‘Giving life to the dying,

Hope to the parents,

Relief to those in pain.

That provides the meaning.’

Understanding the universe,’

Says the scientist,

Solving the problems of the world.

‘Finding what makes the atoms tick,

Where we came from

And the secrets in the depths of space.

That provides the meaning.’

‘Making something beautiful,’

Says the artist,

Creating something unique.

‘Crafting a scene so wondrous

That it moves the soul

And opens the heart to love.

That provides the meaning.’

‘Caring for those in need,’

Says the nurse,

Smoothing the hair from the troubled brow.

‘Providing comfort

From the stress and strain,

From pain and fear.

That provides the meaning.’

‘Worshipping God,’

Says the Bishop

On her knees in prayer.

‘Giving thanks for our lives,

The wonders of the universe

And hope for all eternity.

That is what gives life meaning.’

‘Living in the wonder of the moment,’

Says the atheist.

‘Taking pleasure in the awe

Of each and every moment

And wanting nothing more.

That is what gives life meaning.

We open our eyes into a wondrous place;

Close them and it is gone.

What gives it meaning?

Opher 25.7.2018

Sometimes it is important to reflect that life is short and means different things to different people.

Perhaps there is no meaning other than what we give it?

All I know is that we are born; open our eyes into a place of wonder; live our lives, and then close our eyes and it is gone.

What takes place in between is a product of our desires, our cultural perspective, our indoctrination, our free will and our experiences. Perhaps nothing more.

We live in a moment. We can choose what we make of that.

We Came From Oblivion

Posted on by Opher

We Came From Oblivion

We came from oblivion and opened our eyes

Upon a wondrous universe.

We lived to fill each second with marvels.

We lived to the full.

Then we closed our eyes

And went back to the oblivion

From whence we had come.

There were no fairy tales;

No reawakenings;

No meetings,

Just oblivion.

It was not long enough.

It is never long enough.

Yet it was long enough.

Opher – 5.3. 2017

It seems so human to me to attempt to deal with death by imagining mystical reunions, reincarnations or an afterlife in some future world that lasts for ever.

I see us as biological organisms living in a physical universe of wonder.

I think it is amazing. That is enough for me.

Life is an amazing phenomenon.

Life is to be lived to the maximum. Not to waste a second. It is rarely long enough.

Poetry – Life

Posted on by Opher

Life

Life is like a meander through a wood on a sunny afternoon.

You know you’re going somewhere but you don’t know where.

At first the trail is big and wide with many people to direct you.

But it soon begins to fork and split and meander off into the unknown.

Some paths are enticing but they rarely lead anywhere.

Sometimes you become distracted by a pleasant glade

And stop for a while to linger in the beauty of its dappled warmth.

Sometimes you are lost within the darkness of forbidding trees.

Trails come and go and usually peter out into thick undergrowth.

There is no map to guide you on your journey

And the tales of the fellow travelers that you meet along the way

Are often not at all helpful.

When you set off you had all the time in the world

But it is already late afternoon. The sun is low in the sky

And night is drawing near.

There is no way back to from where you came and no end in sight.

Time is slipping away.

There were so many things that you intended to do;

So many places that you intended to visit

And so many people you wanted to meet.

There was not time to do it all.

Now, as night is about to fall, you wonder if you followed the right trail.

Where did all that time go?

How did you get here?

This is not where you intended to end up

That morning when you set off down your trail.

The journey distracted you.

The trails led you away.

But have you enjoyed your day?

Opher – 8.5.2019

I’m not sure if this is a poem at all. Reflecting back on a long life one is struck by the way one has drifted along. Days were filled with all the routine of work, chores, family and the necessities. Rarely were their moments of clarity. Choices were always a risk.

One packed in what had to be done and selected the options from the menu on offer.

The meal was not always what one ordered.

Poetry – Jack

Posted on by Opher

Jack

Society tried to sell me a dream:

                Work hard,

                                Fit in,

And keep your nose clean.

Jack sold me an alternative view:

                Go Go Go,

                                Live it,

Nothing less will do.

Opher – 22.4.2021

I was sixteen when I discovered Jack Kerouac. He came at the right time. I did not like the life on offer. I wanted something much more.

Jack offered sex, excitement, madness, exploration, wonder, awe, music, zen, marijuana and shared adventure.

That’s what I wanted.

It sounded much better than a career.

Philosophical discourse.

Posted on by Opher

According to Descartes, and I go along with him, ‘I think therefore I am’.

The only thing we can be certain of is our own existence. The rest of the universe, including our own bodies, is up for grabs.

We will wake up soon.

All this world is but a stage.

I should imagine all people find it hard to imagine the whole of this universe coming from nothing.

Yet some people do not find it hard to imagine a God coming from nothing and then creating a universe out of nothing. Why is that? Surely that is at least twice as much implausibility?

I think we are back to the nature of mind and consciousness. I am conscious. That is all there is. I’m not even sure about you.

So I get on with it and make the best of it. I could be discorporate in the midst of nothing. Anything is a bonus. Perhaps this is all a figment? Yet what a glorious construction. I should at least relish it.

Is it easier to imagine a mind coming out of nothing?

Imagination is my greatest tool. It can create universes.

Beware! You may be dead!

Posted on by Opher

If you wake up with one of the following symptoms you may well be dead!

  • You heart has stopped beating
  • You are not breathing
  • Your body is stiff
  • You are as cold as marble
  • You cannot move
  • Your brain is no longer functioning

If you have one or more of these symptoms you may well be dead!

What to do

Nothing.

You have no need to do anything ever again. Other people will do everything necessary.

Benefits

There are a number of benefits from this condition:

  • You will not have to worry about anything ever again
  • there will be no more pain and fears
  • You will not have to do anything anymore
  • All the problems in the world will not exist
  • What is going to happen to you will no longer matter
  • As far as you are concerned, you and the whole universe has ceased to exist
  • You will not have to put up with all the hatred, intolerance, cruelty, stupidity, lying, cheating, violence, destruction, religious fanaticism, environmental madness and thoughtlessness.
  • You can forget about the list of things to do

Downside

  • You will no longer be able to experience all the wonders of the universe
  • You will no longer have the love of your friends and family
  • You will never see a sunrise or sunset
  • You will never have a cuddle
  • You won’t be able to have a laugh
  • You will never gaze into a sky full of stars or see the moon glide through the clouds
  • You will never read a great book
  • You will never meet new, interesting people
  • You will never share a great tale or make new friends
  • You will never love your family
  • You will never walk along a beautiful stretch of sand and splash in the sea
  • You will never see colour
  • You will never write a poem
  • You will never stand on the edge of a cliff and gaze out at the wonderful scenery
  • You will never hear music
  • You will not dance
  • You will not fall in love
  • You will not eat a delicious meal
  • You will not watch a great film
  • You will not put the world to rights
  • You will not stand up for a better world
  • You will not fight injustice
  • You will not hold hands
  • You will not see all the birds and animals
  • You will not see a tree
  • You will not look up into a blue sky, feel the warmth of the sun on your face and a cool breeze
  • You will not have hope, anticipation, excitement or satisfaction
  • You will not feel the glow of having achieved something
  • You will not create
  • You will not drink a great coffee while a squirrel climbs a branch in front of you
  • A gorilla will not connect with you
  • You will not climb a mountain and look at the world laid out before you
  • You will not fly to a wondrous place
  • You will not smell a flower
  • You will not just sit around with people
  • You will not go off to see the sights
  • You will not plan and dream
  • You will not be with the ones you love
  • You will not find the unexpected
  • You will not change anything
  • You will never fly a plane, drive a car or learn a skill
  • You will not travel
  • You will not eat an ice-cream
  • You will not fry calamari in garlic butter and sea-salt
  • You will not smell fresh baked bread or cut grass
  • You will not sip a mellow shiraz
  • You will not discover a new writer
  • You will not stand in front of a Magritte and smile
  • You will not feel warm
  • You will not hear Buddy Holly, Roy Harper, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Nick Harper or Captain Beefheart and a host of others
  • You will not think nice thoughts
  • You will no go to the theatre
  • You will not share a meal
  • You will not watch England win the world cup
  • You will not see Hull top the premier league
  • You will not amble through a forest
  • You will not share a picnic
  • You will not sit in a meadow and watch the butterflies and bees dance with flowers
  • You will not hear the birds sing in the morning
  • You will not make love in front of a log fire
  • You will not catch sight of a deer standing under the trees
  • You will not visit Katmandu
  • Nobody will paint you a picture, give you a card, a hug, a kiss or a smile
  • You will not discover something fascinating
  • You will not think great thoughts
  • You will not dream wonderful dreams
  • You will not grill cheese on toast
  • You will not have a cup of tea
  • You will not do something that you thought you couldn’t do
  • You will not make something look better
  • You will not help someone and feel good
  • You will not buy something you love
  • You will not cherish something special
  • You will not get the satisfaction of a job well done
  • You will not sit in your garden
  • You will never kayak
  • You will not debate, argue and fight for what you believe
  • You will not hike through the Himalayas
  • You will not eat chocolate
  • You will not take a photograph of a pyramid
  • You will not solve a crossword
  • You will not sit with someone
  • You will not breathe fresh air
  • You will never hear that interesting programme on the radio
  • You will not laugh at a joke
  • You will not save a bee, a tree or a chimpanzee
  • You will not stare at the northern lights
  • You will not fight for justice
  • Rocks will not glow
  • Friends will not ring
  • Lovers will not love
  • Worlds will not exist

So beware if you wake up dead – you might not have packed in all that you could into your brief time here.

Pete Smiths cartoons of genius – trapped, restrained

Posted on by Opher

P1120120 (2)

I think we all have those unanswerable questions in our head. We crave to be free to explore and find the answers to our existence, to penetrate the mystery, but we are held back by all the restrictions. Society, convention and the strictures of family, career and life in general clamp us down in their cloying chains.

How we long to be free!

Where am I now? The alternative life. Zoot Horn Rollo and me. The quiet life.

Posted on by Opher

Opher Pete high

I’m presently reading the book by Zoot Horn Rollo (one of my musical heroes) Lunar Notes which tells of his time with Captain Beefheart recording Trout Mask Replica and others.

I was fortunate enough to see them play at their peak and the memory is seared into my brain. They were extreme to say the least. Zoot was young, wild, with exceedingly long hair and outlandish clothes. They were the epitome of the Sixties Underground – the alternative to straight society.

He says in his book that he’s now a pretty regular guy who keeps in with the neighbours and mows his grass.

That’s like me. The wild days of my youth in the British Underground, loud Rock Music, all night rapping, excited discoveries, explorations and wonder are in the past. I too paint the windows, load the dishwasher and mow the grass.

I raised a family, bought a house, had a successful career, am happily married and lead a fairly tame existence.

But I still have a lot of friends from those good old days, the sensibilities of those dreams of equality and freedom and an alternative to this capitalist nightmare still persist, the rebellion is still alive. I want a better world. I fight for it.

My environmental credentials are intact.

My creative juices still flow. I still like thinking outside the box.

I still go to Rock concerts and enjoy loud music, soft music and great lyrics.

I like to read good books, write good books and appreciate Art, Drama and Nature.

I travel and love the world.

The sixties gave me life and while my life is fairly mundane my mind and aspirations are still in the clouds.