BLOG 211: Death and Taxes

“   "What is the purpose of all this?" The first man asked God politely.

     "Everything must have a purpose?" asked God.

     "Certainly," said man.

     "Then I leave it to you to think of one for all this," said God.

 And He went away.”  

From Kurt Vonnegut’s classic 1963 Novel – Cat’s Cradle

To say it has been a bit of a week is an understatement. I’ve been busy in every possible sphere of my life, but rather than be exhausted -  I feel quite exhilarated. I think life is at its best when we are elbow deep in it. However, it has also been a week in which I have had plenty of opportunity for reflection – and reflection always makes you wonder what the meaning of it all is. As Vonnegut pointed out in his novel, it is the human condition to want a purpose to everything. Our God (in his wisdom) gave us freewill – making us was his gig but standing or falling was down to us. But if it is certainty we require -  they do say the only certainties of life are your certain death and the certainty that you will pay tax on something.

Well both certainties came knocking this week.

I received a huge tax form from our friends at the Inland Revenue... [and yes I am blogging rather than sitting down and doing it as it looks scary]. Has tax always been this much of a drag?... was it like this when sharecroppers had to give their feudal lords a few groats and a jug of finest mead?... probably. I imagine the occupant of the plot of the land (upon which my home now sits) also kept on finding ways to do anything other than settle down to distilling the mead for him in the big house. It’s not a deliberate rouse not to pay... it’s just such an errrrrrrrrrghhhh task. Frankly I can’t be arssed, not on a busy week like this one when I have far more dynamic diversions to hand.

Such dithering though hast to be laid to rest.  For me old pal from The Up The Creek Comedy Club, found himself pilloried for not paying tax (he left it to someone else to do for him – as he too could not be arssed) and has found himself the unlikely poster boy for tax-evasion!  You see whatever you do - taxes are a fact of existance... part of the meaning of life. Taxes are a concrete certainty – there is no escape.

There is also no escape from death - that departure lounge we are heading for the moment we come through arrivals. It’s the only other certainty there is. Death and I got to hang out on Tuesday and I have to admit we had a jolly good time. Yes - I know that sounds strange, but read on.

Losing someone from your life permanently is a blow – no matter what anyone says about "a bloody good innings" or "freedom from pain", or "blessed releases" or even it "being their time" – NO ONE is ever ready for losing someone they love. Ever. Yeah... like EVER. However, Death is a certainty, we will all mourn and we will all (hopefully) be mourned. So like taxes, it is just something you can’t avoid and have to make the best of. And by making the best of, I mean – ensuring the stuff the proceeds death is actually worthwhile.

And that is life.

Busy at it sometimes is... we must remember to live well. And by well I don’t mean eating healthily or any other faddy bollix – I mean ensuring we have the best experience possible – while we are here.

This week I along with my family had the opportunity to celebrate the life of one of our members. The word funeral has too many negative associations with sadness – we prefer to celebrate that we ever knew the people we lose. So we celebrate them. You will hear laughter at these gatherings. Which I know (especially to English sensibilties) sounds strange and a bit disrespectful. My experience of English funerals are tearsodden, sombre gatherings. Our approach is as far from that as you can get. Yes, you will feel sad about losing people at the beginning, you may feel angry, you may think it unfair or untimely. However my family's point of view is based on the below quote. Its something that all are most welcome to adopt – it really does lighten the load.

“As much as I know, life is essentially wonderful but it does have the ability to boot you in the teeth when you least expect it – so many people rail up about the injustices – the unfairness of those boots – and what happens is...they DON’T move on.

But we are not entitled to anything at all in this life; the gift we were given was being here at all.

BUT

We do have choices. All I’m saying to you is make the best choices you can and don’t spend time on being sad – It’s a waste”.

So that’s what I do. I make the best choices I can.

I don’t spend time on being sad.

I celebrate I ever knew him.

And goddamn it, I’m gonna settle down right NOW and do that ruddy big scary tax form!!!

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