It is still a beautiful world
Moderators: Xar, Fist and Faith
- variol son
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 5777
- Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2002 1:07 pm
- Location: New Zealand
It is still a beautiful world
Please forgive if the tone of this post seems harsh, but I cannot be silent any longer. And so, because I love and respect you all so much, I have to say this.
Welcome to The Close, a place for the members of Kevins Watch to discuss philosophy, religion and spirituality, or at least that is what my computer screen tells me.
And yet I often find that the forum is a haven not for hope, but harsh reality.
Life is meaningless. Death is inevitable.
I am not a Christian. I am not an atheist. I don't follow the teachings of Jesus, Mohammad or Buddha. I do not read the Bible, the Qur'an, the Talmud or the Upanishads, and nor do I use them to shape the way I live my life.
To be honest, I do not know what I believe. What I do know, however, is that life on Earth is not nearly as bad as I feel it is made out to be here.
I am not denying any Watchers right to discuss Christianity, or heaven and hell, or the comparative morality of various cultures in the 21st century.
All I am asking is that in this place devoted to Spirituality as well as Philosophy, we revel in the good as well as the bad. That we celebrate humanity, and not only debate how horrific it has become.
Yes, the world is full of terrible things. To quote Thomas Covenant, "We have cancer, heart failure, tuberculosis, multiple scelrosis, birth defects, leprosy - we have alcoholism, venereal disease, drug addiction, rape, robbery, murder, child beating, genocide...".
But this isn't the whole story, and anyone who says it is is either lying or lost in despair.
We also have that moment when a newborn baby opens its eyes and looks at you for the first time, holding your little finger tightly in its clenched fist.
We have the way that the world smells clean and new on a sunny spring morning after a warm night of rain.
We have the quickening heart-beat that starts when your lips brush those of the one you love.
We have the laughter of friends gathered together for no better reason than they would rather be with each other than alone with their thoughts.
We have ripe tamarillos, the smell of fresh baked bread, rich coffee made from freshly ground beans, chocolate of all kinds, over 100 different flavours of ice cream, and eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon.
We have Shakespeare, buttercups in the grass, Eddie Izzard and dancing in the rain.
We have that feeling you get when you are walking through the middle of a beautiful garden on an atumn afternoon while the golden leaves alternately expose your face to and shield it from the gentle sunlight.
With all it sham and drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
And not always in spite of humanity.
Celebrate beauty with me my friends.
Sum sui generis
Vs
Welcome to The Close, a place for the members of Kevins Watch to discuss philosophy, religion and spirituality, or at least that is what my computer screen tells me.
And yet I often find that the forum is a haven not for hope, but harsh reality.
Life is meaningless. Death is inevitable.
I am not a Christian. I am not an atheist. I don't follow the teachings of Jesus, Mohammad or Buddha. I do not read the Bible, the Qur'an, the Talmud or the Upanishads, and nor do I use them to shape the way I live my life.
To be honest, I do not know what I believe. What I do know, however, is that life on Earth is not nearly as bad as I feel it is made out to be here.
I am not denying any Watchers right to discuss Christianity, or heaven and hell, or the comparative morality of various cultures in the 21st century.
All I am asking is that in this place devoted to Spirituality as well as Philosophy, we revel in the good as well as the bad. That we celebrate humanity, and not only debate how horrific it has become.
Yes, the world is full of terrible things. To quote Thomas Covenant, "We have cancer, heart failure, tuberculosis, multiple scelrosis, birth defects, leprosy - we have alcoholism, venereal disease, drug addiction, rape, robbery, murder, child beating, genocide...".
But this isn't the whole story, and anyone who says it is is either lying or lost in despair.
We also have that moment when a newborn baby opens its eyes and looks at you for the first time, holding your little finger tightly in its clenched fist.
We have the way that the world smells clean and new on a sunny spring morning after a warm night of rain.
We have the quickening heart-beat that starts when your lips brush those of the one you love.
We have the laughter of friends gathered together for no better reason than they would rather be with each other than alone with their thoughts.
We have ripe tamarillos, the smell of fresh baked bread, rich coffee made from freshly ground beans, chocolate of all kinds, over 100 different flavours of ice cream, and eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon.
We have Shakespeare, buttercups in the grass, Eddie Izzard and dancing in the rain.
We have that feeling you get when you are walking through the middle of a beautiful garden on an atumn afternoon while the golden leaves alternately expose your face to and shield it from the gentle sunlight.
With all it sham and drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
And not always in spite of humanity.
Celebrate beauty with me my friends.
Sum sui generis
Vs
You do not hear, and so you cannot be redeemed.
In the name of their ancient pride and humiliation, they had made commitments with no possible outcome except bereavement.
He knew only that they had never striven to reject the boundaries of themselves.
In the name of their ancient pride and humiliation, they had made commitments with no possible outcome except bereavement.
He knew only that they had never striven to reject the boundaries of themselves.
- [Syl]
- Unfettered One
- Posts: 13020
- Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2002 12:36 am
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 1 time
Hear hear!
We have the wind in the trees.
kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=967&highlight=bioluminescence
We have the wind in the trees.
kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=967&highlight=bioluminescence
"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
-George Steiner
-George Steiner
Point well taken. And not to point any fingers either. I think a "The World is Beautiful Thread" is about to be born.....
"Fortunate circumstances do not equate to high ideals."
"Mostly muffins sir."- My answer in response to the question posed by the officer, "Son, do you have anything on you I should know about?"
His response: "Holy $&!^. He's not kidding! Look at all these muffins!"
"Mostly muffins sir."- My answer in response to the question posed by the officer, "Son, do you have anything on you I should know about?"
His response: "Holy $&!^. He's not kidding! Look at all these muffins!"
- CovenantJr
- Lord
- Posts: 12608
- Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2002 9:10 pm
- Location: North Wales
- Avatar
- Immanentizing The Eschaton
- Posts: 61739
- Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Has thanked: 15 times
- Been thanked: 21 times
Aaah Vs, you're so right. And Desiderata is one of my favourite pieces.
The sun rises in beauty every day, and sets the same way.
Dew glints on the grass in the early morning.
People go out of their way to help those who need it.
Clouds pile huge bastions into the clear sky.
And there is also Love...
--Avatar
The sun rises in beauty every day, and sets the same way.
Dew glints on the grass in the early morning.
People go out of their way to help those who need it.
Clouds pile huge bastions into the clear sky.
And there is also Love...
--Avatar
- Gadget nee Jemcheeta
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 2040
- Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:05 pm
- Location: Cleveland
- SoulBiter
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 9277
- Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2004 2:02 am
- Has thanked: 79 times
- Been thanked: 13 times
It is still a beautiful world
This is a really old thread but the World, contrary to popular belief is a very beautiful place. We just have to wipe the mud away from our eyes so we can see it.
Cheers!!
Cheers!!
- Skyweir
- Lord of Light
- Posts: 25363
- Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2002 6:27 am
- Location: Australia
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 18 times
It is still a beautiful world
Absolutely 100% the world IS a beautiful place and excellent thread Variol Son my old friend.
I was fencing (well fixing pre-existing fencing that took areal hammering with the inclement conditions we’ve had) all afternoon yesterday to ensure a secure perimeter for my horses.
We added a little rescue to my non-existent herd and the pure delight that comes from interacting with our natural habitats and other species does the heart amd soul good.
Interacting with my teeny pony and teaching him our ways is incredibly joyful.
I had my 6yo grandson helping me cutting fencing wire and he even did a bit of sawing ~ not enough to actually be helpful lol and I’m not sure that saw blade will ever be the same ~ but it was such a great weekend having my family home.
I’m luckier than many as I live in the country and get to work outdoors and with animals. There’s really no beating it.
I love this awesome and beautiful world
I was fencing (well fixing pre-existing fencing that took areal hammering with the inclement conditions we’ve had) all afternoon yesterday to ensure a secure perimeter for my horses.
We added a little rescue to my non-existent herd and the pure delight that comes from interacting with our natural habitats and other species does the heart amd soul good.
Interacting with my teeny pony and teaching him our ways is incredibly joyful.
I had my 6yo grandson helping me cutting fencing wire and he even did a bit of sawing ~ not enough to actually be helpful lol and I’m not sure that saw blade will ever be the same ~ but it was such a great weekend having my family home.
I’m luckier than many as I live in the country and get to work outdoors and with animals. There’s really no beating it.
I love this awesome and beautiful world
keep smiling
'Smoke me a kipper .. I'll be back for breakfast!'
EZBoard SURVIVOR
- Gadget nee Jemcheeta
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 2040
- Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:05 pm
- Location: Cleveland
It is still a beautiful world
<3 <3 <3 damn right damn right
Start where you are,
use what you have,
do what you can.
use what you have,
do what you can.
- Avatar
- Immanentizing The Eschaton
- Posts: 61739
- Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:17 am
- Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Has thanked: 15 times
- Been thanked: 21 times
It is still a beautiful world
Now if only we could do something about the rest of us.Gadget nee Jemcheeta wrote: ↑ <3 <3 <3 damn right damn right
--A