ONE WAY TICKET...

In the recent years of the super competitive world we all came to expect more from life. We had higher expectations from everyone and from everything. The need to have recognition, reward and the ‘next best thing’ became the norm. Fortunately, I believe (hope) this is all about to change.

For many, the demand from life still exists and will, I am afraid, ultimately lead to emptiness and sadness. However, I am hopeful that for many of us there is a gradual return to the simple things in life. We are beginning to long for those days when, kindness, personality, manners and ‘a good job well done’ were enough to make us feel a sense of achievement which was reward enough for ourselves. The days of ‘my word is my bond’ are enjoying resurgence and I personally am delighted.

This doesn’t mean that we, as individuals, are no longer ambitious or competitive. Simply that we are slowly beginning to rediscover the simpler things in life. Those core values that once were the mainstay of our society are, thankfully, re emerging as the foundations of our lives both socially and commercially.

Having discovered the extent and complexities of the world beyond our shores the time now seems to have come for us to recognise and accept what is out there. Do what we can to improve the global society but not to the detriment of our own land, and to appreciate the benefit and true value of those near and dear to us.

At the risk of sounding like a ‘hippie’ (and hey man, what if I do?) I sincerely hope that I am correctly interpreting the vibes I get from the people I meet and speak with.

Don’t the vast majority of us just want to get along? Be good neighbours to one another. Enjoy what we have around us and do what we can to protect it?

Don’t we all want to recognise the best of life and try not to dwell on the worst of life?

But most of all,

Don’t we all need to remind ourselves, almost daily, that life is like a one way train ticket; it is ok to nod off along the way, ok to sample the goods from the buffet car but the most important thing is to admire, savour and enjoy the view even when going through a tunnel…

From a Railway Carriage

Faster than fairies, faster than witches,

Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;

And charging along like troops in a battle

All through the meadows the horses and cattle:

All of the sights of the hill and the plain

Fly as thick as driving rain;

And ever again, in the wink of an eye,

Painted stations whistle by.

Here is a child who clambers and scrambles,

All by himself and gathering brambles;

Here is a tramp who stands and gazes;

And here is the green for stringing the daisies!

Here is a cart runaway in the road

Lumping along with man and load;

And here is a mill, and there is a river:

Each a glimpse and gone forever!

Robert Louis Stevenson