Epigrammatic Episodes

Ever had something break so completely that it was lost to you, not worth the expense or effort required to fix? After-all, who smashes a teacup into a gazillion splintered pieces then gathers, sorts and glues them all together again? No one. We get frustrated, accept the loss and sweep up the mess. But what if it's valuable? Well, that's when we feel the pain. Cars can be both valuable and prized possessions. Yet damaged enough even they become too difficult, too complicated, too costly to repair; even insurers advising we give them up as lost. But what if it's really, really valuable? Well, that's when we feel an obligation. For example, huge resources are dedicated to preserving our cultural heritage, restoring artefacts damaged by time and neglect; case in point, the  Statue of Liberty , an $87 million repair project. But what if it's priceless? Well, that's when we feel desperation. For the priceless, cost becomes almost irrelevant. Effort,...

A work colleague recently related a story to me in which he was attempting to repair a sanitation pump. He'd opened the flooded tank chamber and was attempting to empty it with a cup. The process was tedious, requiring repeatedly filling and emptying the cup into the basin above. Yet after twenty minutes, the water level remained the same... It took another ten minutes mindless activity before he finally realised he was foiling his own efforts, emptying the cup into the very basin that was refilling the flooded tank. E ver had your efforts thwarted? Most have. In many competitive sports, players devote themselves to disrupting an opponents attempts to win. In fact, in some arenas of life it is broadly accepted as part of the job to interfere with a rivals progress; politics, courtrooms, policing, military. H owever, when is it not acceptable to compete with another’s efforts? Imagine loving parents, daily making efforts to pass on training and instruction to their chi...

Ever had an epiphany? A slap across the face moment of sudden and profound comprehension. I did recently. Having been forced by illness into lengthy convalescence, throughout which I was unable to work, I garnered a glimpse at the loveliness potential of others. This is that story. There are insurances to provide for extended bouts of illness... which is nice, I'm told . However, with those resources at our disposal, my wife and I budgeted a buffer, allowing for those yearly days or weeks I normally ended up being waylaid by the dreaded lurge; a buffer, I must add, that for decades had worked fine. However, a month into this illness, that buffer was a spent faded memory. Two months in, we were selling furniture and appliances so as just to have money for Christmas. And we still had my medical tests, treatments and medications to pay for... We prayed a lot. Providentially , though presented many opportunities to worry,...

Someone once related a story to me regarding a memorable highlight of their oblivious youth. Oblivious because what they perceived as the highlight, was in fact one of the most stressful periods of their parents life.  It was the 1950's, a time of widespread decline throughout Africa. Having lost his job, the father was forced to sell the family home. With nothing left but car and caravan, and no choice but to travel the country in search of livelihood, daily necessities soon became more a prayer than an expectation. Yet the parents worries were their own. For the two sons, life had become an adventure, a seemingly endless holiday, travelling by caravan no less. Schooling was on hold, playtime was plentiful. Therefore, with food and clothing these two boys were content. Doesn't perspective change everything, not least of all our experience of contentment. Discontent is a common sensation, regardless of age, gender, or income. But it...