Derek Marks OBE
If you google Derek Marks you will find a TV presenter.
But another Derek Marks OBE was born in the same year that Margaret Thatcher was born and died on the same day, Monday 8th April 2013.
Derek Marks was given an OBE for his services to blind children on the same day as Margaret Thatcher was forced out of Downing Street in November 1990. Derek Marks led a life of service to others. An unsung hero whose death was eclipsed by the death of a politician.
This must happen all the time.
A birthday on the day Princess Diana died, on September 9th 2001 the day the Twin Towers fell, or 7th August 2007 the start of the present financial crisis.
Conversely dying on the day the Berlin Wall fell, or the beginning of the new millenium.
Sometimes events take over and we have to struggle and find a way through. The passage of life is unpredictable and random. We are all born into circumstances out of our control. Yet we can spend the rest of our lives trying to cope with our beginnings that we had no control over.
We can spend a lot of time and energy worrying about what sort of death we are going to be given. Some people manage a “good death” by starving and stopping drinking.
We are mostly defensive in reaction to the randomness of life: we want control and have authority over it. But perhaps we are missing the point: to be engaged and close to randomness is to give oneself up to the meaninglessness of life. Is this so bad? For our lives to have meaning- meaningless must also be present. It gives the meaning more importance and well – meaning.
At times we have our chances of putting meaning to our lives. At other times we do not have that chance.
A balance of meaning and meaninglessness.
“Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.” Joseph Campbell
Derek Marks OBE.
Copyright Adrian Scott North London Counsellor Blog 2013
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Disclaimer: This weblog is the view of the writer and for general information only.
This article is designed to provoke argument and critique.