“Freedom from fear” could be said to sum up the whole philosophy of human rights. Dag Hammarskjold Another Scandinavian whose aphorisms helped mold my aspirations. Such a simple statement which, if applied to today’s bogey-monsters – asylum seekers, burqua-wearers, anyone who’s different from us – might save us millions of dollars in so-called security measures and angst.Continue reading “Wisdom from the North”
Monthly Archives: April 2011
A 5 year old philosopher…
Not long after I came on the scene, the comic strip Dennis the Menace was launched and the song with the same title hit the top 40, mortifying my mother, who then wished she’d named me something else. The TV series followed, along with some memorable aphorisms, such as the one climaxing this exchange between Dennis andContinue reading “A 5 year old philosopher…”
Experience vs wisdom
Mahatma Ghandi was one of the first great philosophers to influence me. I was all of eight years old at the time. Another that had my adolescent brain ticking over was Søren Kierkegaard. Today’s aphorism comes courtesy of him, and though I don’t recall hearing this way back then, it resonates with a long held comprehensionContinue reading “Experience vs wisdom”
An aphorism a day keeps postaday okay…
… at least while I’m setting up a bank of vacation posts. So let’s try… …to accomplish great things, you must not only act but also dream, not only dream but also believe. I can say okay to this one. It’s reverse is also true – from belief, one dreams and then acts to bringContinue reading “An aphorism a day keeps postaday okay…”
Acting your age
A magazine article catches my eye, “Amortality: why acting your age is a thing of the past”. Just click on the link and you can read the whole thing. Once upon a time, life had a fairly predetermined trajectory – you are born, you work until you grow too frail, then you die. For most ofContinue reading “Acting your age”
Maintaining “Postaday” while on leave
My minders may be fuming right now. “We told him he had to take his leave and he’s still writing on his blog!” Relax, minders! This was written yesterday, as were the rest of the posts that follow this week. I’m using that cool feature in WordPress that embargoes posts for release at the date and timeContinue reading “Maintaining “Postaday” while on leave”
Reflecting on Easter Sunday… a sermon
“But how did it happen? I don’t understand how when he was dead he was alive again. How did it happen?” The class had finished. The next class was waiting and I was halfway through the door. A nine year old, engrossed in the drama of the Easter story, required an answer to this questionContinue reading “Reflecting on Easter Sunday… a sermon”
Reflecting on Holy Saturday…
Their waiting was different from ours. We wait in anticipation of resurrection celebration. They waited in despair for the Sabbath to pass so they could tend a cadaver and complete a proper entombment. Our waiting is for the completion of a cycle in a story that continues. Their story had been destroyed – pilloried on a shameful instrumentContinue reading “Reflecting on Holy Saturday…”
Reflecting on Good Friday
“Why is it called Good when such a bad thing happened?” There’s a bit more to this question than just the etymology that says “good” comes from “God” and that some say it was originally “God’s Friday.” It’s helpful to just sit and ponder the question a while. Let such stillness take you past theContinue reading “Reflecting on Good Friday”
Reflecting on Maundy Thursday…
When I was a schoolboy somewhere back in the last millennium, there were class monitor jobs that were much sought after – cleaning the blackboard, feeding the gold fish, collecting the lunch orders. The one no-one enjoyed was emptying the rubbish. Things haven’t changed that much – I asked the school kids the other dayContinue reading “Reflecting on Maundy Thursday…”
Wondering Pilgrim 