‽istis
ponders 'poliminal moments', change, making a difference and well-spent lives… (weekending July 6th 2024)
At this week’s ending the political landscape in the UK at
the national level will have changed – even as many call for or promise change
itself. ‘Portillo moments’[i] may have come and gone, some people will be preparing to adjust to new
employment opportunities, others may be seeking fresh employment; Downing
Street rooms may face fresh decoration; the nations once again may or may not
start to find out whether things can only get better.
Writing this on the general election voting
day, ‽istis has decided to follow the tradition of limited domestic political comment
whilst the polling stations are open – ‘poliminal’ moments?
We could look overseas, and there is
much to draw attention: the national and international failures and utterly
devastating impact on so many children, young people, adults, families and
friends in Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, The Sahel, Haiti,
Armenia-Azerbaijan, etc.; the Unites States and whether the Presidential
candidates are fit for the job or the best that a nation can offer; France and a
possible contest for the heart and soul of a country, for the liberty, fraternity and equality of all its citizens…
We could look to sport: to European
football, and a trophy that may or may not be ‘coming home’[ii] - or to Wimbledon. Undoubtedly skilful sports people nevertheless ‘playing’ -
hitting balls with boots or heads or with stringed bats, many earning eyewatering
sums of money for it as those imposters of triumph or disaster are far from
treated the same[iii]…
But ‽istis is appreciating a day when
material that may not otherwise have been broadcast across the airwaves has a
chance to reach us. Change, making a difference and well-spent lives have long
been themes of these blog posts, and so it is perhaps no wonder that a
chanced-upon interview on a radio station has made a great impression. The BBC
Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme aired a chat between presenter Emma Barnett and guest
Simon Boas – remarkable, poignant, utterly life-enhancing somehow in the midst
of illness and imminent death[iv]…
‽istis invites you to ponder and
wonder these selected sections from the encounter between Emma Barnet (EB) and
Simon Boas (SB):
SB:
‘…we all write chapters. All our lives are little books, but they are not someone
else’s complete book. You’re a chapter or a page or a footnote in someone else’s
life and they’re going to keep writing beautiful chapters when you’re gone. And
these sort of green shoots can kind of grow around grief and put it into
perspective…. (my) story – just because it’s over it does not mean it’s gone.’
EB:
quoting a passage cited in SB’s book – from ‘Middlemarch’ by George Eliot:
‘The effects of her being was incalculably diffusive. For the
growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts and, that
things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to
the number who live faithfully a hidden life and rest in unvisited tombs.’
EB:
‘It’s such a beautiful choice by you, if you don’t mind me saying… I thought
about what a good way it is of illustrating the value of all our lives.’
SB:
‘That’s so right. I love that quote and it’s so true, you don’t need to have
been a politician or a mover and shaker or an aid worker or anything; all of us
make a huge difference.
I love the idea… that most films about time travel revolve
around someone changing one tiny thing in the past and then of course they come
back to the present and everything is different. But, if you project that
forward, you change one tiny thing now, you can change huge amounts in the
future.
And all our tombs will be unvisited in a few short years and
all our actions and things will mostly be unremembered. But the smile you gave
the checkout lady… the kind words you
said to some stranger in the street could still be rippling forward. And we all
have that opportunity… and it’s a huge
power and I want everyone to realise how special and precious they are.’
EB:
‘I was wondering if I could ask you a question, I don’t think I’ve ever asked
anyone this… how are you going to be spending your final day?
SB:
‘I’m sort of - not looking forward to it – of course that’s the wrong way, but
I’m kind of curious about it and I’m happy and I’m ready.’
EB:
‘So, I wish you much peace and joy as possible and I’m thinking of you and your
family.’
SB:
‘Oh thank you. As Julian of Norwich said: ‘All shall be well, and all shall be
well, and all manner of things shall be well.’
And now from the 'gleeful love for the wonder of life' to something that may or may not be completely different (‽istis will let you
decide): the UK general election 2024...
©‽istis
NB: further reflections and comments linked to this
week’s theme and past blog entries to be found on X/Twitter with replies,
retweets (which don’t necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very
opposite!) and ‘likes’: @Pistis_wonders.
X/Twitter ‘follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...
