I’ve returned back from New Zealand, after attending the funeral of Kath’s father.
While I’m at best a little tired and saddened, it’s still yet to sink in for Kath. She is.. was, very close to her father and she was very much his “little girl”. Rodger has been like a second father to me - he accepted me into his family and for that I thank him..
The funeral was held in the gardens of their family home - the weather had been wet and miserable for days leading up to the funeral, however on the day, it was fine and warm. At least that was something..
I was struggling to find some meaning, or point, as you do when faced with the very mortality that is human life, when I struck this quote from Babylon 5, spoken by Lorien:
“At first we were kept in balance by birth rate. Few of
us were ever born, less than a handful each year. Then I think the
universe decided, that to appreciate life for there to be change and
growth, life had to be short. So the generations that followed us
grew old, infirm, then died.. To live on as we have is to leave
behind joy and love and companionship because we know it to be
transitory; of the moment. We know it will turn to ash. Only those
whose lives are brief can imagine that love is eternal. You should
embrace that remarkable illusion. It may be the greatest gift your
race has ever received.”
As mankind races to find the cures of the modern worlds illnesses - cancer and AIDS to name but a few and perhaps even death itself, we face losing the very thing that defines our race. Life itself.
To be without illness, to never grow old and die, to simply exist for centuries, or even eons, will mean we lose the very thing that defines humanity - love, life and happiness.
Sure, I believe everyone wants to live for ever, if even for the briefest of moments. To never age, grow infirm, or suffer illness. But where will that leave us? Cold? Alone? Everything dies.. it’s the price exacted for being alive. I hope that as we struggle to extend the human life-span, to improve our lives with technology and new found discoveries - that we never lose sight of just how precious and short and amazing and special life is.
I would like to personally thank those who have taken a moment to pass on their condolences and thoughts. Your words and thoughts have helped during this moment of transition..
≡ This is a journal entry relating to the topics of memory, reflections.
Brendan Borlase is a Systems and Network Administrator living in Adelaide, Australia, having lived, worked and breathed Information Technology for over 12 years. Learn more.
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