I went to my local shooting club lunch today a very simple affair of roast chicken and vienetta for afters. The chicken had been roasted by the lads and so obviously that took six of them to achieve and I had to take a massive meat pie in case of a shortfall. Our two local lasses made the veg in their aga and mighty nice it was too. My cocker and a young yellow lab circled the table to ensure all crumbs were suitably taken care of. On the way back I listened to radio four Christmas service and took the long way home to enjoy the carols. Over the top of the wolds Bob the dog and I went and found a nice stream for him to have his annual bath in. He found a water rat, which are unfortunately getting rather rare and chased it around until it ran into its hole in the river bank. Bob then drenched me and the car. He sits on the floor as I type steaming gently and twitching as he dreams of chasing some poor bird across the fens.
Old Bob is pretty much all I have left now. I have no blood family and I am the last of the line, so just me and Bob will spend our days in our wee cottage by the sea. Its not a bad life with little fuss and I have the time to stand and stare and muse upon a life of equal loss and love, much fun and some drama. I wonder sometimes what we are to be measured by; our deeds, or our failures. In my case I think I have had both in equal measure, but my heart was generally in the right place despite my decisions being often suspect and if asked to do the same again for love? I probably would do the same again. I also reflect on the irony that I truly believed the world would become a safer, more egalitarian place, but it has become far more dangerous and fractured. Perhaps the passing of the cold war and the possibility of mutually assured destruction was a bad thing and emboldened the idiots among us to carry on irregular war knowing that nuclear destruction would not be their fate.
Whatever the reason I mused as I drove back over the wolds I thanked God for a most beautiful world and prayed for his help in maintaining it that way. I then stopped and watched the sun go down and thought of those words we used to say at this time of year "peace on earth and goodwill to all men". A sardonic smile graced my craggy old face and I thought "no how about:
"Dear Lord help us to live in peace and harmony with each other and in balance with mother nature while there is still time". And that is what I pass on to you. Regardless of what Prophet or God you believe in, may next year see less people die because of it, less people flee from it, starve, thirst or hunger because of it and may those who wish to martyr themselves upon the alter of their prophet be allowed to do so and leave the rest of us alone in peace to worship ours.
Good health and keep safe and God (regardless of whom that may be) bless you all and all Gods creatures.
No comments:
Post a Comment