Despair!!!!

Penelope · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 11:29 am Post subject: Despair!!!!

How do you cope with despair without some kind of faith???

This is nothing to do with this forum.....but.....I had stopped going to our local parish church.....

Because I stopped going...some one whom I loved...died and I didn't know about it....so I never went to his funeral.....and I 'so' wish I had. I hasten to add that I loved his wife too......

In our local Parish Magazine - the Bishop has written:-

President Camacho · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

Sorry to hear about that Penelope.

I know as people get older, death becomes ever more prevalent in their lives.

Parents die, then mentors pass, then death consumes more of their lives... it starts taking friends, siblings, and reaches passed their shoulder to tap a spouse. It's devastating. To wonder if the next phone call will be to notify of someone else passing... why pick up the receiver?

I find my comfort in science, friends, alcohol but then my parents haven't even passed yet. What do I know about loss.

I think faith has a lot to do with moving on into the unknown. Ever forward.

Ophelia · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 12:12 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry about your loss Penelope.

I'll be thinking of you.

Love,

Thomas Hood · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject:

Ok, you've got this special stove, right? So cook the widow a basket of goodies, and deliver them in person, and say, "I miss you."

My suggestion.

Tom

Saffron · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 8:48 pm Post subject:

Penelope · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:26 am Post subject:

I don't get my stove until Monday!!!!

The widow is not an issue with me. I know she is still a friend even though she is a much better cook than I am!!!! Sad

I think it was just shock - because the last time I saw Albert and Pam at the pub.....we were doing the quiz and I asked them if they remembered who sang what song in the 1960's. Then we proceeded to have a long-winded, somewhat inebriated argument. And almost got thrown out of the pub for our helpless giggling......except that the Landlord knows us and is as silly as we are.

It was the feeling of not realising - when it might be the last time we see some one's face. And sadness that I hadn't been able to say 'goodbye' properly.

On second thoughts, being Albert, he wouldn't have wanted me to say 'goodbye' properly anyway!!! Smile

Penelope · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 4:51 am Post subject:

My friend just sent me this by email - it is a lighter note on which to close this thread named 'Despair'

I hope Frank reads it!!!! You'll like it!

Subject: Fw: 2007 Floods

In the year 2007 the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in England,
and said:
"Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see
the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark and save two of every
living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the CAD drawings, saying: "You have 6 months to build the
Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights."

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard,
but no Ark.

"Noah!" He roared, "I'm about to start the rain! Where is
the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah, "but things have changed. I needed
Building Regulations Approval and I've been arguing with the Fire
Brigade about the need for a sprinkler system.

My neighbours claim that I should have obtained planning permission
for building the Ark in my garden because it is development of the site,
even though in my view it is a temporary structure.

We had to then go to appeal to the Secretary of State for a decision.

Then the Department of Transport demanded a bond be posted for the
future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions to
clear the passage for the Ark's move to the sea. I told them that the
sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. All the decent trees have Tree
Preservation Orders on them and we live in a Site of Special Scientific
Interest set up in order to protect the spotted owl. I tried to convince
the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!

When I started gathering the animals, the RSPCA sued me. They insisted
that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the
accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put
so many animals in a confined space.

Then the County Council, the Environment Agency and the Rivers Authority
ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental
impact study on your proposed flood.

I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission
on how many disabled carpenters I'm supposed to hire for my building team.
The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only accredited
workers with Ark-building experience.

To make matters worse, HM Customs and Excise seized all my assets, claiming
I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish
this Ark."

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow
stretched across the sky.

Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean you're not going to
destroy the world?"

"No," said the Lord. "The British government beat me to it."

Ophelia · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 5:07 am Post subject:

Lovely story Penelope, there's nothing like the sharing of a funny tale! Smile

Interbane · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: Hey

I was a frequent poster here years ago. I'd like to add a quick thought. If it's a change of belief you've had, wondering how non-believers cope, then the answer is that you find beauty in the world through a different perspective. It takes a lifetime of a religious person to accumulate all the beautiful things they see attributable to god. The same is true for an atheist. Learn more about science and philosophy, and watch people. Patterns develop and you'll see things to love where before there was nothing.

It's like moving from one neighborhood to another. At first it's daunting and cold, but the more you're there, the more connected you feel to your new environment. You learn new things, and find new stuff to be connected to.

Penelope · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:07 pm Post subject:

Thank you Interbane for posting!!

It is appreciated.

Hard though; - ones attitude to ones own family changes....not just about life in general.

At the moment, I can't go back and can't go forward.....but I know others have been in this place.

Robert Tulip · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: Despair!!!!

Penelope · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 2:58 pm Post subject:

Robert said:

Interbane · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject:

It seems that there are multiple answers, some more attractive and more comforting to a human psyche in general. I won't provide more detail other than to say that as I learn more and increase my verisimilitude, the results take away from the magic of the world. Where I once saw wonder and mystique, I now understand it and look forward. The act of looking forward requires me to find new mystique where the old stuff has been "defogged" and understood.

Also there's the definition of the word "faith". You have to really understand what it means to have faith, without religion monopolizing the meaning. I have faith in the love of my significant other, and the inherent good of mankind.

You don't need the love of a higher power to make you feel loved. Love doesn't concern transcendence other than the idea that transcendence promises "eternal" love. That is a myth. Life is not a disease, and you do not need to believe in a fallacy to feel the comfort of love. Love is all around you, but it is manifested in different ways than the fake "transcendent" love. You need to alter your frequency a bit and tune into the near and now.

Penelope · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:54 am Post subject:

Interbane said:

Robert Tulip · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 7:04 pm Post subject:


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