Niceties and Users

What is the appropriate course of action where a person who usually rebuffs all your offers of friendship suddenly comes knocking seeking your assistance?
Showing them the door before they can utter another word is surely the most satisfying response, and yet the niceties of society, manners and the prospect of future repercussions seem to suggest a more moderate response should be adopted.
For a change, I actually followed my impulses and said no. Speaking to my mother though, she was of the persuasion that assistance should be rendered....

Darkness and Light

Was thinking of my babblings online recently and realised that my musings have been hopelessly serious and dark as of late, perhaps reflective of my inner turmoil and the semi difficult phase that I had been passing through. But with the advent of spring, more sunshine and happier things as of late, I think a lighter focus is more than overdue.
Regarding the latest entry concerning letting go, failed miserably and was swayed by a phone call, only to be reminded two days later of all that was wrong with that particular flirtation/non relationship...need to stop being so VISCERAL! Also farewell and farewell to that particular chapter.

Time

Time is the great equaliser. Irrespective of whether you are a king or a pauper...a lifetime...is all that one will receive......and in that lifetime, you will flourish, mature and eventually decay....There is an unfortuneate inevitability about it all...ordained as it is by our physiological makeup, determined before we were conceived...immutable, unmovable, certain.
And within that lifetime, the ability to dream, hope, love, laugh, enjoy, achieve, and bring happiness or ugliness, despair, hatred and bleakness to this world is within our control...it is a great power...something that gets forgotten in the daily grind, when you are feeling irritable, or snappy, or bored...
Will try to be kinder tomorrow ~

When over really means over

Sometimes a decision really has to be made, to say that over really means over. Although it may be tempting to hold on, to have that safety net of illusion cushion you from the harsh reality, that it is really back to the drawing board, square one again. Enough really is enough, when you know for a while that something is not right, that it's not so suitable, then it is better to make a clean break... As it has previously been said, only when you let go of something can your hand grasp something new.

So I guess this is a public declaration, a manifestation of my decision for which I am holding myself accountable.

Photography

I have recently taken up photography in earnest, after thinking and talking excessively about it, for what seems like forever. I find it focuses my attention and helps me realise, see and appreciate all the beautiful things around me. Live in the moment a little bit more. This is a photography of my dog Edvard, here in a rather unusal moment he looks rather world weary, serious and I think wolfish.

The virtues

Recently, while I was wasting time randomly flicking through Youtube channels, I came across a series of lectures on philosophy from the virtual university, the focus was on stoicism and Marcus Aurelius in particular, although other philosophers were also mentioned.
I had on previous occasion encountered the name before, it was however always peripheral...a quote here a mention there, shadowy fragments that did not really arrest my attention. It wasn't until I watched the lectures, that I realised what a giant he was.
Here was a man who was emperor of the greatest wealthiest empire in ancient times and as a result of his position, he held in reality dominion over the lives of millions, owned everything and wielded absolute unfettered power...imagine if you will... a man for whom every whim can be satisfied, for whom society's laws and rules did not apply, who could have and do anything he pretty damn well pleased, and yet he was virtuous, he was kind, temperate, patient and just......
The philosophy that Marcus Aurelius subscribed to was stoicism. Stoicism provides a way of life that emphasises self control, strength of character, fortitude and moral responsibility. For Stoics virtue is enough, all else is subservient...Another interesting element of Stoicism is that its concern is with one self, controlling your actions and thoughts so as to lead a virtuous life.

The principles of philosopher brings to mind a poem I read as a child:

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Stoicism focus on changing oneself so as to be the best that one can be...realising the potential within... not so much for the grander purposes of changing the world but instead because to do less would be to lead a wasted, not fully human life.

A link to a man who is much more eloquent and knows the subject much better than I is attached below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLD09Qa3kMk