Thinking….
Been doing nuff o dat over the last few days. In fact, las nite after the dinner (which was not bad JDid) when I got home I poured me a VX and coconut water, flex in front of the TV watching Katrina footage and was jus a think while sipping on my drink. Why have I been thinkning? Plenty things. Now and again, I get into the ‘what is the meaning of all this’ mode. Contemplate life, reason wid God. See, next week Saturday I man a turn forty two. I not panicking or nutten. But, I can safely say that I have lived well over half of my life based on how things go nowadays in terms of life expectancy. I been thinking about these wretched hurricanes and the misery and disruption that they cause to what we have come to know as human living in 2005. Then, lest you may have already forgotten, I recall the tsunami near the end of last year in Asia. Terrorism.
Then I think of my life….spent a good ten years of my young adult life getting tertiary education. I naw lament or nutten, I like my chosen work. But what is up with this repetitive rat race….kill out youself fe reach work by a certain time in order to get a smalls a de end o de month? Then again, I always say I should not ask that, ’cause the ‘no work, no pay’ side of the coin is a lot less pleasant to swallow. Can’t say I have ever exeperienced true hunger….but I can only imagine seh a belly full o nutten but gas nuh wonderful to go bed wid a night.
Then I think more about those who looting after disasters…what forces drive them to act this way? I have said that I understand the tekkin of water, food supplies and clothing. But not the rest…..TV, cyar etc. Wah dat fah? Maybe I am of a different mindset. Perhaps because of my upbringing, and the fact that I was raised in a middle class home, I cannot understand the thinking behind this. I not so sure that that argument holds much water (probably not the best chosen words to use at a time like this referring to Katrina looters). Similarly, I have been told by a few patients that I have had who bleach dem skin, that I wouldn’t understand why dem doing it cause I already on de paler side of the fence. But, you see, I am sure there are many poor folk who inna de shyte resulting from the hurricane, and, DEM NAW TIEF AND LOOT! Simply because they know it is wrong and they have principles by which they live. So, why is it that some recognize and know that it is wrong…but are happy to proceed? Maybe I shudda done Sociology…hmmm. Or, is it a case like I frequently say, that in order to understand certain life situations, one needs to experience it personally to understand the mindset of someone faced with the situation? I made reference that that in comments made on a post long time back that I did about termination of pregnancy. There were some who could not understand why I would ’see wid’ a woman who became pregnant because of rape and wanted to terminate the pregnancy. I could certainly see with that lady.
Last of my thoughts. Two people I knew (note past tense) died this week. One, a male family friend…fairly close to Daddy. I am not sure what happened. The other, someone I knew, not that well. Young man, younger than I am. Not yet forty. Fit out rass…had a body weh most man would like to emulate. Was a water polo player, swimmer, and up to the time of his death, involved in fitness training. Took family on a trip to Florida. Apparently three year old son awakes in the night from sleeping between Mummy and Daddy. Doesn’t see Daddy in the bed. Get outta de bed to use bathroom and see Daddy pon ground naw move. Apparenly it looks like he had a heart attack. Sad.
Perhaps you get the idea why I inna dis yah thinking mood. Feel free to commnt, add your thoughts, I not really arguing here, just a think, you seeit. We really don’t know what is in store for us…that’s why I look forward to sharing good times with family and bredrins. And, tomorrow is Friday, and I plan for it to be business as usual inna de evening to night hours. You free to rope een if you wish. Gone go do likkle more thinking before private practice later.
September 1st, 2005 at 6:54 pm Bwoy, me hear wah u a seh, and is one ting u write that me eye just stick pon. now u may not be a religious man but u said that at times like this u reason wid God….the truth is I believe that at these times in our lives it reminds how much we really do need God as he keeps us sane in the midst of all this confusion, he gives us peace in the midst of a war or even a hurricane, he gives us joy in the midst of a tragedy. I believe the key to living a fulfilled life doesn’t fully depend on how successful your marriage, career or friends, but relies on an intimate, genuine, long lasting, unconditional, satisfying relationship with God Almighty!
September 1st, 2005 at 8:24 pm Dr. D..yuh bretheren above Joel, put it just right. These things happen to make we think and to make we realize that the One above nuh happy wid wha gine on down hey. He vex, vex, vex an sending all kinds ah signs, but it seems like we nuh wanna heed tuh he warnings. Continue praying and reasoning wid God, ask him all kinds ah questions yuh wanna ask. at least yuh acknowledging that he exist and that’s the best start. These are dark days and darker days to come. I say a pray every morning cause I realize that he spared me another day and I’m thankful. Pray is all we can do.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:36 pm My yute, I think that the storm is not of God’s making, but mans. Man carry on with nuff folly, ie. pollution. He does it until global warming set in and weather patterns change. Man is in effect wrecking the world that God gave him. God didn’t send the storm, but Him never do nuttin to stop it either. If he keeps on stopping storms, man will continue on his destructive path, causing far greater, irrevocable things to occur. So the storm should make man learn. We will see if mans head is too thick or wha?
September 1st, 2005 at 10:08 pm “kill out youself fe reach work by a certain time in order to get a smalls a de end o de month” Ahem….you have choices you know….
September 1st, 2005 at 10:11 pm oh, i forgot to say i heard about teh death too and we first heard it was Andrew, who is about twice my size and add yours, so i commented that that was not unexpected. But to hear that this man was fit and into fitness, i have to ask myself “why bother?” cho man,,,,if only we could find out when we turn 18 how we are going to die, it will just simplify things wouldnt it? Then i would know if i need to be bussing my ass in a gym.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:44 pm Yammie….I know about the choices….I prefer stick with the evil I know….movement into more Pvt. Prac. soon start…watch me… Re the knowing what your fate is…that shouldn’t stop you from go gym…doesn’t it make you feel good….do you prefer to be in a state of fitness when your time comes? MB…you may have a point.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:58 pm We never know what life has in store for us. Problem is that you can’t just say screw it cuz you may just be one to live till you are 100 and end up in serious pain because we didn’t take care of ourselves.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:19 am Dr. D: After my brother, who was younger and fitter than I ever was, up and died a few years ago, I quit the 9 to 5 rat race to do what I wanted to do. I’m lucky for having a husband who was 100% supportive of my decision. I saw how many dreams my brother left on the table in order to be a responsible provider for his family and I will forever admire him for that. But it opened my eyes to what I wanted to do with my own life because we know not the hour. To know the truth of what’s really happening here in America and why people are literally being forced to loot for food and water and basic necessties, check out the following websites which have great links to news, etc: buzzflash.com and drudgereport.com. The latter is run by a right-wing doodo head but has good links.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:23 am Hi Dr. D.-I can only say that when I reflect on matters such as yours I have to be philosophical and learn the lessons. I find that I’m grateful for what I have and will continue to live life to the fullest, embrace it all and be good to my fellow man. I think it all has to do with the right attitude.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:59 am Dr D, is the wrong guy I was thinking of. I just saw the death announcmenet in the newspapers today of the one you meniotned, and his wife is the first cousin of my brother’s very good friend. Saw the wife at the friend’s house earlier this year with the kids. There was another one (a Cocking) also in Florida sometime last week.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:10 pm They say life begins at 40. I had an experience in class yesterday where this black girl from New Orleans bruk out in tears and she tried to explain the looting on stuff. I’ll try post the justification that she and others use for that side of the story in my blog later today. Death follows all of us around like a stalker in the night - we should of course take reasonable caution but it makes no sense to fear it; for the act of being in fear of it takes away from what we can do with the time manifest before us.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:33 pm I don’t get all the looting either - there was a drawing to depict the senselessness of it today in the local paper. It showed a fella rafting on the flooded water back home — he calls out to his wife that he did great on the looting bringing home a HDTV, a DVD player, new computer and some other electronic. His wife is perched on the roof of her house with floodwaters all around and she shouts back to him - ‘and just where do you think we’ll put them?’