‽istis
wonders – and ponders ‘crossing the bar’ (weekending September 17th 2022)
This week, a week of ‘national
mourning’ and when ‘paying respects’ are apparently being said and done by so
many, ‽istis has had much to ponder and
wonder:
· can
a ‘nation’ mourn‽
o is
it one nation or four nations? can some speak for all? what if I don’t feel or
think part of a nation? what if some aspects of this nation’s/these nations’
past or present embarrass or distress me and I feel guilt by association?
· paying
respects – what does one actually do…‽
o turn
up, be there, queue, take a selfie, not take a selfie, not protest, not mention
those more seemingly problematic aspects of the past or present, not go to work
(unless I have to go to work), forego my operation, change the date of a
more-loved one’s funeral, leave Centre Parcs for the day, make a quick buck or
make a respectable profit providing a needed service on merchandise or sandwiches
or replica Paddington Bears or flowers or cellophane – acres of cellophane, or
give to a food bank or not open a food bank, or watch the TV but not just any
programme…?
And a poem that has become a song
comes to mind and has been mentioned in a previous ponder and wonder blog[i]: ‘Crossing the Bar’ by Tennyson and,
later, set to music by Rani Arbo and others – often described as a metaphorical
meditation on death[ii]
And ‽istis
has been thinking about all those who have crossed the bar this week:
·
in the public gaze
·
with opportunities denied
·
by the hand of others
·
surrounded by family
·
having served to the end
·
in great pain
·
beaten to death
·
in utter, lifelong privilege
·
because of illness or disease
preventable
·
too soon
·
with regrets
·
in faith and hope
·
left on the street, unburied
·
cared for by strangers
·
with hands held
·
in confusion
·
in poverty
·
by their own hand
·
with people filing past
·
because of poverty
·
by law enforcement, those tasked to
protect
·
in private
·
still completely baffled
·
consumed by guilt
·
convinced that there is more and
better
·
in great indignity
·
wealthy
·
considering failure
·
in love
·
shot by an invading soldier
·
calm and ready
·
in flood waters or muddy deluge
·
from hunger
·
prepared
·
not found
·
full of regret
·
after a good innings
·
unexpectedly
·
disbelieving
·
waiting for family to arrive
·
fulfilled
·
in silence
·
lost at sea
·
in dread
·
at the close of a well-spent life
·
screaming
·
loved
·
alone
·
recalling poetry
·
singing
·
with music playing
·
at peace
·
…
© ‽istis
NB:
further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme and past blog
entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily
indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’: @Pistis_wonders.
‘Follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...
[i] ‽istis
wonders and reclaims dying: July
2021:
https://pistisrec.blogspot.com/2021/07/pistis-reclaims-dying-weekending-july.html
[ii] References include:
https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/alfred-lord-tennyson/crossing-the-bar
