The meaning of life

“There has to be more to life than saving lives…” says the neurosurgeon who is the main character in Ian McEwan’s novel Saturday. 

We could easily keep going in the same vein : “There has to be more to life than…”

raising babies

arresting criminals

riveting steel plates

directing TV commercials

teaching rowdy children (or trying to)

waiting on tables

laying cables and pipes in trenches

chattering and drinking coffee in the offices of a French administration

driving a delivery van

etc, etc.

         True. All true. Only spirituality can provide what is conventionally called « the meaning of life ». But what sort of spirituality ? Certainly not the sort that consists in calling on outside and entirely imaginary entities in order to praise them, beg them or ask for favours. Only our identification with the universe can provide peace of mind and inner happiness. 

DEATH OF A DOG

I catch myself praying :

Oh, Lord, don’t let my dog suffer.

She is all forgiveness and love

and innocent of any lie.

Two million Jewish kids

and six million prayers :

Oh, God, please don’t let her suffer !

Don’t let him die, don’t let him starve,

don’t let them take her to the gas chamber !

But she did suffer

and he did die of starvation

and they did beat her up

and dragged her to the gas chamber

two million times !

What chance my doggy friend ?

And I ?