The news today is full of stories about carbon tax.....and if the sky will fall in if we do/do not go ahead with putting a price on carbon, the multi trillion dollar US deficit, and what seems to be a triple homicide/suicide in southern Queensland/northern NSW, and the continuing conflict in Libya and Syria.
Closer to home I've found out that a friend has cancer, and some other friends had their house burgled.....
What is the right response when bad things happen? Sometimes I get really angry about the injustice - "it isn't fair - they didn't deserve this'. Sometimes I feel really sad about the way people suffer. Both of those responses are justified in some instances.
What bothers me is when I fail to respond, or respond with complete indifference. Why should I feel (justifiably) angry about my friends' house being burgled but not be disturbed by the deaths of people in Syria and Libya?
Why are we horrified by the death of a five year old in northern NSW, but not disturbed by preventable child deaths that happen every day in many countries.
Is it right that I should be upset about my friend's cancer diagnosis (yes) but not upset by the the treatment of cancer patients in the Ukraine (severe restrictions on morphine usage).
And in the light of all this do we agree with Stephen Hawkins assessment that there is no heaven? No place where justice prevails, where the wrongs will be righted?
I don't agree with him. If my brain is just a giant computer why do I feel anger and sadness about things that happen to other people, both friends and strangers?
Life happens (and death happens)
Reddy (or Not)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Weddings
I suspect 2011 will be remembered as the year Kate and Wills got married.....but in my family there will be another wedding to remember. My brother is getting married on Saturday.
Strangely enough his wedding comes 30 years after my sister's wedding (and another royal wedding), and 20 years after my wedding. Neither my sister nor I will have the men we married at the wedding. My sister's marriage ended in divorce, and mine ended when Glenn died.
My mother will be there with her husband....but he is not our father.
While I am looking forward to the wedding it will almost inevitably be tinged with a degree of regret. Regret that Glenn isn't there but mostly regret that our father did not live long enough to see his children married.
I suspect last Friday was tinged with regret for William.......because his mother wasn't there.
Life happens (and death happens)
Reddy (or not)
Strangely enough his wedding comes 30 years after my sister's wedding (and another royal wedding), and 20 years after my wedding. Neither my sister nor I will have the men we married at the wedding. My sister's marriage ended in divorce, and mine ended when Glenn died.
My mother will be there with her husband....but he is not our father.
While I am looking forward to the wedding it will almost inevitably be tinged with a degree of regret. Regret that Glenn isn't there but mostly regret that our father did not live long enough to see his children married.
I suspect last Friday was tinged with regret for William.......because his mother wasn't there.
Life happens (and death happens)
Reddy (or not)
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