The Precipice Point of Life.

The Precipice Point of Life.

From the moment of becoming aware of existence, humans have an advantage over all other creatures in that they know their existence. This awareness comes about slowly with assimilated mind and physical development and coalesces into a form of wakefulness at an age that seems determined by needs and wants without any great constructed thought process other than to be demanding on the provider of sustenance and security. It is debatable at what age this awareness occurs. From the moment of birth how responsive the being is, remains open to interpretation and is subsumed into what others think is relevant to controlled active conscious awareness with no real idea of what nature of spirit the human has that they are presented with until a time of emotive connection and responses, maybe a year or more latter?

So begins the journey of life and nothing is so important than to fill it with as much of life the being can get. The ability to fill ones life with acquisitions, experiences and presence, is to a great extent dictated by the nurture on offer. From this springs the exuberance of life and all that is done in one own name.  With few exceptions at every stage of life every being has prime drives – they are alone in their own mind, pushed by self survival and need, or to seek association with others to give added meaning to their existence. From this selfish drive, progress is made to move to an accommodation association of social integration and the beneficial virtues of life are gained over time to form the being and it is these adopted attributes that single the being out as an individual of note or of acceptable ‘normality’. Every being is unique in its own sphere and is  therefore important to those in association with it but the measures of say honor, integrity, strength, resourcefulness, stoicism etc are always issues on which the being is subtly assessed so that one can be something more than a nice person or worse, an unremitting idiot.   

The formation of whom one considers a person of note comes about by personal observation and close association of one’s own view, a view that may be shared with others or simply acknowledged but unspoken, as it may difficult to put into words just what is it that one sees and appreciates in the person. If discussed at all, it may be that all that is required is too often use the term ‘nice’ as an overall descriptive term that has nothing to do with being nice in appearance. Unfortunately this does not really do justice to the person without bringing a much fuller account of the reasons why the person is nice or is a person of note.

Humans are torn by the pressure of life and the consumption of survival to the extent that superficially the saying ‘what ones sees is what one get’ is the general approach displayed between people and judgment is made on what ‘things’ they have to ‘peg’ them in quality without necessarily dissecting their abilities or attempt to examine what they say vs. what they do. It is this value assessment that a being means what they say and does as they mean that can give a guide to the hidden quality of the individual. Even with this scrutiny there is still the unsubstantial something, the gut feeling that one is missing a point and it is that ephemeral hard to grasp view that provides the driving conviction that one knows when one meets a person of note, a person who exhibits some of the best qualities of being human, a person of real inner substance.   

 It is unfashionable to consider that humans have a soul but with the lack of any scientific evidence other than the 1^st law of thermodynamics - conservation of energy and the positive extrapolation of what this might imply but if there is one, what makes the soul stand out, is how it measures up to the challenges of life. Personality is often used as a short descriptive term that encompasses the person but behind this there is the controversial indeterminate essence of life that is always there, the enduring thought behind the idea of, what is life for? Is this all that there is? Is there more?

Progression through life generates a variety of distractions, too many perhaps to consider the ultimate meaning of life however the view can be taken that there is no mystery. Life just is and then is not. This is a nihilist resolution and is quite acceptable, it gives ‘carte blanche’ to be and do whatever the being wants yet if a modicum of intelligence is applied one may see that this is not a suitable or ultimately fruitful mode into which a life-long behaviour paten should fall. Therefore the actual life style a being adopts may be formulated by the overall amalgamation of attitudinal conditions generated with all others beings and from this may come the feeling, what if there is much more to be gained from life?. The being may then commit to life in the best way it can and the soul becomes the essence that is the substance of the personality which other see.

On occasions life offers choices to test the soul’s personality, the bit on show, to test its beliefs, its life’s attitude, its dealing with others; its own tenacity to fight and be stable in adversity, its mettle. In how the being rises to the soul’s challenges and not excusing from the controversy of self judgment is important. It is tackling this that make a person of note and it is this that has a way of pulling one up to a point of questioning the veracity and worth of ones life, for ones self or for other to make comment on. A being may go on for a long time before reaching this critical point of life adjustment but how it is done via a challenge is not nearly as important as how it is tackled. Some beings may not realise a test is evident due to sturdiness of a mean personality and they may also have been endowed as a unfortunate beings to ignore and avoid all testing ills; they may not be nice, they may not be beings of note, they are not of real substance, they may not be missed.  

In all cases the one inescapable fact of life is the finality of life. This only comes into to play at a certain age or via circumstances when it is realised that life for the being does come to an end and then what has the being got to show for it? What has it achieved, what has it done to be remembered as a person of note.   

Life of a being is not fair, it is not born into equality but it is born maybe with the opportunity to do the best it can and seek to make its situation better, to also attempt to make it fairer if it chooses and to do so before it ends. Many pursue life without any imminent thoughts for the finality of its life. For many the precipice end may come without knowing it is there. To them it is a finality that has no meaning, it is a singularity that they will or may not be aware of it happening, to have lived not having any idea or a wish of a beyond from a fruitful or futile life. Others have the perhaps painful leisure of time to prepare knowing their time will come, uncertain perhaps when it may be but knowing it is closer than what one would wish. These beings without the determination of their soul can fracture under the strain of pain and sadness knowing their destiny. They do not break; they continue to live as best they can with a high degree of fortitude looking into the void. They are resolved to step over the inevitable precipice they see with the dignity of courage.

 “To sleep, perchance to Dream”   may be the construction of a soul’s soliloquy, or as a eulogy blessing that one can offer up as a Carol and it is one that can be justly deserved, for the precipice of life is taken with such valour. Do we cry for the departed or those to live on? Do we cry for ourselves or our own mortality near end, or cry to celebrate a life? One can recognise the thoughts raised by the Carol one had, warm composed and with a life too short but the spirit did what it had to do and left behind memories and people to rejoice her soul. A person of note, a person of real substance!

Renot 2012

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