Last Of The Dark

The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living ~ Cicero

Death has never been a solemn subject to me, it is has never been taboo. It is fact that I have attended more funerals than weddings but not once have I shed a single tear (and these were close family members). Now before I am accused of being "unfeeling", allow me to explain. I have such a strong belief of a sweet Afterlife, I believe we ALL go there, good or bad, that whenever I find myself standing graveside I am so convinced the departed have "ascended to a better place" (to be glib about it) that no sadness will emerge. Not even by force. No amount of pleasant memories, or clenching fists or straining veins will tempt sorrow from its den.
At times I have wondered if I was simply cold or indifferent toward death but as the years turn into sheaths of grey, I realise my emotions are in check, their pulse alive and screaming. I believe. That is as simple as it gets.
Indeed if I was stood before a Judge about to sentence me to death, or a doctor about to deliver my cancer act in deadly script, I would more than likely grin in reply. (Of course I don't know 100% for sure of that smirking reply but I could lay my heart on it being 95% certain). Naturally I am wary of DYING but the actual DEATH part? Im no more afraid of it than razor steel is to flesh. Or a crocodile to butterfly (but I am being blown off course now).
For me, death has no end and therefore no sorrow. My bones might miss the company and mortal flashes of the deceased but I know, nay feel, that as the coffin is being lowered into its earthly haven or obliterated by flame, that the soul of Man is rising like a stunned eagle into realms where even the finest pearls would look as lowly as paupers rags. Shrugging off mortality and disease as it lifts unto the sanctity of unknown. And these brief shards of endless joy penetrate my mind so deeply, embedding themselves like euphoric clots, that sadness is obliterated, unable to bring me to my knees.
I have my humanity, feelings, and good many things will reduce me to tears but weeping for the dead is beyond my hearts grasp. I think too much, believe I even know too much and doubt can never get over the threshold of my imagination/beliefs to even begin to try and shatter these ideas. Of course every man will have weak moments, and being a man prone to sometimes rampant, wild emotion there are often times when all I am able to imagine after my pulse is done is a wall of black, blinding in its finality.

Not often I am happy to report. Often a good dose of Welsh coastal air or the sight of a buzzard hunting for its supper will remedy that.

Welcome to the (Death) Party

Cin Cin?

A wise poet once said, "do not dance on your enemies grave, for tomorrow your friend dies." The people planning on holding 'death parties' in celebration of Margaret Thatchers death would do well to heed these words. Its perfectly monstrous to think that human beings could stoop so low as to want to raise a glass to a fellow humans passing. How low can ye go? Baroness Thatcher might not have been everyones cup of tea (to say the least) but at the end of the day, this was a very ill 87 year lady who has left us and it is hardly time for celebration. Not if you fancy keeping a shred of humanity and dignity.
The time for cheering was when Lady T resigned. All the hatred aimed at her in life has no purpose now but to serve anger itself because she is in her eternal sleep of jewelled flowers and golden tea, where drafts of rage can no longer touch her. And considering how the Iron Lady would have swatted any petty criticism aside like a tiger toying with a shrew when she was alive, I cannot think how these foul sounding 'death parties' will be anything other than proof of how low man can sink. Only the most ignorant and stupid will gain a scrap of joy from popping a cork over a coffin.
And these are generally the liberal types who have the gall to call me barbaric for supporting the death penalty! Listen, the next time you fellows accuse me (and the Conservatives) of being uncaring, cruel and evil, Mr Jakes will remind them of this behaviour.

So That's That

Party on Boris

After the fun and games of the last fortnight (including 29 Gold medals), waking up this morning was a bit like waking up after a heavy session on the old booze. A sort of "what happened there then? Did we really? That was great! Must do it again sometime." The London 2012 games, and especially the winning, held the nation in a suspended animation of joy, making us forget things like double dip recessions. I dare say its still not sunk in for a few as they hit the ever faithful red button too catch up on some handball or archery.
Dai Jakes purposively missed last nights closing ceremony shindig because acts like the Spice Girls quite frankly leave me feeling cold (even when prancing on black cabs) but it was great up until then and if theres any justice left in the world, athletes like Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Bradley Wiggins et al will have inspired the countries youngsters so that we may hold on to our 3rd medal position in Rio in four years time.
One question some people have asked in todays media is if we would be all so 'hungover' had we not bagged all those medals? Mr Jakes believes we would. These games gave us more than medals, they brought us all together, cheering our team on and they put a little dazzle back into our spirits. It doesn't happen very often and you could definately sense a buzz around the towns and in shops/pubs.
So a pleasant two week binge all told, but now its back to reality with a thud and while its been great, I for one am happy to be back to normal. There is only so much high jumping and javelin one can watch, although I will be sorry not waking up to any more beach volleyball. The sight of sweaty, toned women in bikinis goes so well with a bacon sandwich and mug of freshly brewed tea I quickly discovered.
Over to you then Rio.

Daisy Chains and Corpses

Looking out over this beautiful land from my seat high above West Wales has made me think; the time really has arrived where burials ought to be faded out and cremations made compulsory. Land is running out and do we really need to still be sticking our dead under the ground in 2012? Its seems a very medieval practice to me, something we ought to have gotten rid of a long time ago.
I chose the USA because its a bigger country and in America alone they bury:

827,060 gallons of embalming fluid (formaldehyde).
180,544,000 pounds of steel (on coffins).
5,400,000 pounds of copper/bronze.
30 million foot of exotic woods.
3,272,000,000 pounds of reinforced concrete for vaults.
28,000,000 pounds of steel.

That is a heck of a lot of materials to be rotting away underground. Is it still necessary? Fine woods turned into fancy coffins, silk for shrouds, and lets not forget the heavy lump of marble carved with angels and flowers to top it all off. "Here Lies Joseph Blogs, Sadly Missed, RIP", it proudly proclaims to nobody in particular. To me this is more about vanity than any deep sense of rememberance and mourning.


Rest in peace?

Of course religion has its part in the 'Cremation Versus Burial' debate but the Eastern Orthodox ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople (what a mouthful that is) announced in 1961 ~
"There is no formal Orthodox rule against cremation, but there is a heavy weight of custom and sentiment in favor of Christian burial."
So there you go, no rule against it and cremation would quickly become the custom if we channeled our sentiments elsewhere. Othewise all our lands will be taken up by graveyards, there will be little room for anything else. The cemetery in my hometown (Burry Port) for instance is on a hillside and has some wonderful views of the Gower but its almost full. A few more plots and you would be visiting the dead in a cow field.
It is a quite a queer mind that actually likes the thought of burial. To have ones earthly remains sealed in a tiny box and left to slowly rot, fodder for soil dwelling creatures whilse the living world rolls on above. Im sorry but thats not for me, it sounds very grim and creepy. I know it won't matter when im dead but im alive now and can hand-on-heart tell you that I would never wish for burial.
In the modern world everything is being compacted and downsized. You no longer need shelves crammed with videogames, films and music, all of these can be downloaded via the internet and stored on computer files. Cremation offers the same thing. No more fields filled with bodies of the deceased, no more mawking 'poetry' etched onto headstones. Let the fires carry your loved off into the wild winds, let them be blown over blue waters and scatter on lush green pastures. That sounds much more appealing surely? Given the choice over this or being left stinking down a small hole I know where my vote falls.