Giving Happiness

Two old men, one room, in a hospital. Both of them are seriously ill. The first of them cannot leave his bed or even move, the second was allowed to set on a chair one hour everyday in front of the only window in the room. A friendship arises between them. The second man was describing for his friend everyday the wonderful things he sees through the window .. Kids playing merrily, ducks swimming in the beautiful lake, families in small boats, green trees and blue sky. The man was happy for hearing about these beautiful things that he cannot see.

Weeks passed, and the man who was describing the beautiful scenes died. The other man was sad for that.

Other days passed, and the man asks the nurse to be transfered to the other bed to be close to the window. And it was. He made his best to look from the window. He wanted to see the beautiful scenes and remember the good days he passed with his room mate. Little by little he lifts his body on the bed, he turns his head to the right to look from the window, and ... he was shocked. A high cement wall was standing in front of the window and blocking the sight. The man was amazed. He couldn't understand why his room mate was describing things that do not really exist.

He told the nurse about everything, and the amazement of the nurse was grater. She said: "He was blind!".

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It's a story I heard in the Friday preach, and I liked it so much.

Do the charity even if you will not take anything for it.

Give happiness to others even if you cannot have it for yourself.

Irish Republican Socialism - My Two Cents

The following in a comment I recently made on the blog The Pensive Quill on the post Dis/topia [sic]ness. It pretty much sums up where my head is at politically. In other words, in flux.

Antony,

This blog is very interesting lately. I am currently ploughing my way through 'The Lost Revolution' by Hanley and Millar. Very educational. I am currently at the stage of the Provo/Official split and it has given me an insight that I think is relevant to the comments on this thread.

Sinn Fein/IRA in the 1960s was the true inheritor of the republican tradition of Wolfe Tone, the Fenians and the IRB, and like them in the 1960s were seen by the majority of Irish Nationalists north and south as being somewhat eccentric, not necessarily bad, or even wrong, but dreamers who would be better off turning their attention to bread and butter issues. Except for rare moments of crisis, this is the way republicans always have been seen (and are seen now).

Anyway in the 1960s, the IRA either out of genuine idealism, or political opportunism starts to move to the left, which causes a lot of internal strife, just as this is coming to a boil the whole civil rights thing explodes. IRA membership mushrooms and the split occurs. Here's my point, the Provos were not only not Republican Socialists, the majority of them were not even Republicans. I've put the word majority in bold for good reason, yes a significant minority were republicans, who either did not buy into the socialism or who ended up on the Provo side because of personal or neighborhood loyalty. But the majority ended up in the provos because they wanted civil rights and to defend their homes and loved ones, not because they were committed republican revolutionaries. Now that they've got their civil rights, they are happy to return to being bourgeois nationalists.

I think Larry's FF in the South SF in the North is totally understandable. Both parties pose at being republican (waving tricolours, attending republican commemorations) while at the same time are quite willing to persecute and imprison (and in the case of FF, execute) former republican comrades. In a way SF are worse because they pretend to be socialists something FF tend to avoid doing (although there was Bertie Aherne's bizarre claim to being a socialist some years back).

As for the Officials/Worker's party, well they are a ghost party, bled white by splits and the fall of the Berlin Wall. I have read their newspaper and seen some blogs, I've even talked to ghostly voices down a telephone, but I've never seen or touched a WP member since the Democratic Left split.

Personally, and I expect to be shot down over this, at this stage of my journey though the weird and wonderful world of the Irish Left, I think the remnants of the old Republican Spirit, if they remain anywhere, are in the INLA/IRSP. That said the recent decommissioning is hard to fathom. But if they exist anywhere I hope they have learned that for a revolution to succeed you need the support of the mass of the people, plus a fair measure of the security forces of the state. Perhaps at some times in the 1970s and 1980s such a situation almost existed in Ireland. Maybe the troubles really were a lost opportunity, but I don't believe the majority of the provos were ever really revolutionary and now they are certainly no different from FF, FG and Labour in the south.

Rory

The Canticle of the Creatures

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
all praise is yours, all glory, all honor,
and all blessing.
To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
through all you have made,
and first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day;
and through whom you give us light.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor;
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All Praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars; in the heavens you have made them,
bright, and precious, and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
through Brothers wind and air, and fair and stormy,
all the weather's moods,
by which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how cheerful!
Boisterous and strong.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through our Sister
Mother Earth, who sustains us and governs us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers
and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
through those who grant pardon for love of you;
through those who endure sickness and trial.
Happy are those who endure in peace,
By You, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your will!
The second death can do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks
And serve him with great humility.

- Saint Francis of Assisi