The human condition

[noxlumos]

I've been thinking over the last couple of days ( with the help of Mr Guinness, Mr Jameson and Mr Powers) about life in general.
So is it this wonderful gift that we have, to be savoured every day or is it actually a cruel joke?
On the one hand we have this amazing world, people to love and be loved by, children to wonder at etc and on the other we know that we are rotting away everyday, getting nearer and nearer to our ultimate demise. Everyone we love will suffer and die in just the same way and hate and injustice is everywhere.
How do you feel? Is your glass half empty or half full?

[noxlumos]

Isn't it interesting how alcohol makes everyone a philosopher max :)
I agree, you know you sometimes get those semi-****** epiphanies that you really can't hold on to, well I had one which prompted this question and yes I do agree with you all who say that the smallest thing we do has massive repercussions so we should always be the best we can, because collectively that'd make a huge difference.

[~max~]

Btw, Nox (and anybody else who's interested, for that matters!), I strongly recommend reading Andre Malraux, La Condition Humaine (the human condition in English, I guess! lol).

Also, dunno why I'm saying this now, but whoever is interested in the philosophical aspect of death penalty, Le Dernier Jour d'un condamne, by Victor Hugo, is a fantastic read. Written in the 19th century, but extremely contemporary nonetheless. An eye opener.

[noxlumos]

Hello Ray, how's you?

[noxlumos]

Read Victor Hugo...brilliant, haven't read Andre Malraux ... yet, but I'll certainl;y give it a look Max, thanks.

[~max~]

Just looked it up, and it's translated in English as "Man's fate".

[raysparx1]

Hi nox I am good thanks, and you ? have you read " the ragged trousered philantropist" (spelling) that will make you think.

[naz_nomad]

nox ... I'm not ... I don't ... and there's nothing wrong with me, thanks

[wizard69]

"to laugh often and much;to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;to earn the appriciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;to appriciate beauty, to find the best in others;to leave the world a bit better,whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.This is to have succeeded"...Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Does it for me everytime Nox

[noxlumos]

No Ray, I've not. I'll give that a try. I just re-read Castenada so I'm probably milling around in confusion because of that :)
wizard that's absolutely it.

[Carakeel]

There have been times nox, when I thought my glass was nearing empty, when it would have just been so much easier to let it totally run out. Holding my dying son was one of those times. But then I think of all the things around me that changed all that ... each little smile from my grandchildren, the sparkle in my 90 year old Mum's eyes when she tells me I'm the best, the feeling of delight I get when my oldest granddaughter throws her arms around me and calls me her "cool grannigan", the closeness I share with my daughter, the welcome I get from my little dog and the way he never leaves my side when I am ill. And finding that , after deciding not to let anyone into my life for 20 years, I could suddenly by chance meet the most wonderful man and learn to trust and love again. I have my RATTER to thank for that. Going through my own cancer and losing my darling son Kevin to the same illness taught me so much. Today I cherish every minute I am on this planet, the good and the bad ones. I see the changing colours of the leaves, the beauty of our Devon sunsets ... so many small things that make up this a beautiful place ... I see it all so much more clearly than before. And I am so grateful that I survived. I had to watch as my son suffered and hear his last breath as he died in my arms and truly there is nothing worse that can ever happen to a parent. But, I know now that we can cope with so much more than we ever think we can and that at the end, as RATTER said, there is light and hope. We cope because we would be letting our children down if we didn't. We need to cope also so that we don't let ourselves down. We are far stronger than we think nox, we all are!!! You included XXX :o)

[joby1]

Most of the time I have a half full, but today it is definately half empty....if not drained ! :-(

[raysparx1]

nox The book I mentioned is by Robert Tressall and is about socialism, everybody who has worked for a living should read it, especially those in the building trade or have etver belonged to a union, it is fascinating.take care noxy.

[Ctrak]

Mine is about half full but slowly draining on account of exams steadily getting ever closer and looming like the Apocalypse. Only with less chance of survival.

[noxlumos]

Thanks all.Excellent answers all round pretty much.