And so .....

I’ve for a long time based what passes as my philosophy of life on the teachings or casual remarks of three people. First, there is Graeme Edge, the drummer/poet of The Moody Blues. He's really underrated, I think:

to fly to the Sun without burning a wing
to lay in a meadow and hear the grass sing

Great stuff. I wish I could write like that. I wish I could think like that.

Second, there is Constance Morgan. Constance is not a household name like Mr. Edge, and Constance Morgan is also not her real name. I promised her years ago that if ever I had cause to talk about her in public I’d change her name to conceal her identity. Constance was always a great calming influence upon my sometimes agitated, palpitating, restless heart. I can’t explain how she taught me to find inner peace when it wasn’t really there. I can’t explain what I’m talking about. She also taught me that a man (or a woman, come to that) should always strive to be where they belong. She lives in Leatherhead.

Third is Emma Peel, the Avenger (pictured below) who gave this wandering soul an anchor in a sea (nay, an ocean) of watery flow, as it were. Some people have said to me that any philosophy based upon the mumblings of a fictional character, however delicious, has to be fundamentally flawed, but it’s them what's flawed, because Emma Peel is no fiction. I saw her once in a Safeway supermarket in West London, so that proves it. She even spoke to me. She said “Excuse me, please.” I was blocking her way to the frozen peas.

But anyway, I remember in one avenging adventure she was in a particularly tricky spot and she looked Steed square in the neck and said “Steed, sometimes in life you can’t do what you want to do.” You don’t forget wisdom of that calibre, no matter what the distractions.

Later, when things had sorted themselves out and the world was again a safe place to live, she looked at Steed (in the eyes this time) and said “Steed, you know, sometimes you can stop doing something you don’t want to do and go and do something you do want to do.” You can’t buy this kind of advice. Well, you can buy this kind of advice but it's easier if you just get it for free off the TV.

Anyway, all this is just a lead up to say that "Exultations and Difficulties" stops here. It's been fun, but I'm kind of done with it and feel like stopping. It's as simple as that. Later in the year I'm going back to China to work, but that's not why this is stopping. It's stopping because I don't feel like doing it any more.

Thank you for being here. I hope you've enjoyed it.

Comments

[Ariel]

Oh... so no more difficult exultations or exulting difficulties? Drat. Hear, hear, Emma Peel was the proto life coach. And free.

[Dave B]

I first read this post on my RS reader, which missed off the last paragraph. But I just looked on my work computer to see if you'd updated and noticed it - always bury bad news at the end, eh? Pity. I'm envious of Diana Rigg speaking to you in the supermarket. I once stood next to Julie Christie and didn't notice - which only makes for the sort of story that's only worth burying in a comments box.

[Martin]

It wasn't Diana Rigg in the supermarket. It was Emma Peel.

[Audiologists ny]

Whoa, I remember that actress too!

Luke

[Audiologists ny]

Whoa. i remember that actress!

Luke