Without wishing to set a tune off in your head, it seems to
me that we all live our lives like candles in the wind. Not that we have much
choice, the winds going to blow whether we want it to or not. Of course, just
how long we glow for before we gutter depends on the strength of the wind. A
breeze might keep us alight, but a gale would snuff us out in an instant. Even
so, we all give out at least a little light along the way; some more than
others, but finally we are all taken by the dark.
It’s not something I think much about. Musing on my own
mortality is one of those subjects that can wait until later, much later I
hope; but it’s always there at the back of your mind isn’t it?
Apparently we are the only creatures on this planet that are
aware that we aren’t going to be around for ever. Just how we know this I have
no idea, but maybe the rest of the animal kingdom are aware of the end, just
better at dealing with it. I’ve heard tales of whale graveyards where those
mighty creatures go to end their days. If they decide they are going there,
then surely they must have an inkling about what they are going there for.
Of course whales were once hunted and killed in their
millions and made into candles and lamp oil. Lighting your house at the expense
of all those magnificent creatures seems so wrong. It can’t have been a clean
light can it?
Colin Tickle on FB
ReplyDeleteWorks to the tune as far as "snuff us out in an instant" if you try hard.
Tim Preston on FB
ReplyDeleteI remember asking a friend how do squirrels know when to bury nuts for winter and how do birds know to build nests and she said "they follow their bliss". Animals don't have the same reasoning that we do. If they are free and in the wild, we must assume that they must do certain things because it feels right or pleasant or both. perhaps these whales do not fear death like we do. Perhaps we could learn from them how to unfear death by accepting it like they do
Andrew Height
ReplyDeletePerhaps they know something we don't Tim?