Agnostic

[poliphilo]

My sister-in-law's brother died yesterday. I didn't know him well, but I liked him. He was eccentric and counter-cultural and lived by his own rules. He was 51.

I have reached the age at which it is no longer startling when a contemporary drops dead.

Brandon wasn't religious. I don't know what the family will finally decide, but my sister in law is mildly uneasy at the prospect of having a clergy-person officiate. I did a Google search and discovered something I didn't know before, that it is possible to book a non-religious celebrant through the Registry Office. Excellent. I've let Ailz know that when I get called to the choir invisible I want a Registry Office Person to wave me off.

It's not that I'm Godless. I believe in God right enough. Though Goddess suits me better. No, it's dogma I want to steer clear of. I don't think anyone knows with certainty what happens to a person after death, and I don't fancy having some sectarian breathing his/her personal opinions or party dogma over my sainted remains.

Call me Agnostic. I think of Agnosticism as a positive thing. What's so shameful about admitting you don't have the answers? None of us can actually prove our beliefs. Faith divides; acknowledgement of ignorance unites. I know nuthin and you know nuthin- we all know nuthin together.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm 54.

The process of ageing fascinates me. I observe the changes in myself- mental, physical, spiritual- with a kind of awe. Hey, I never thought this would happen to me. And some of it- quite a lot of it, actually- turns out to be surprisingly good.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I'm 54.

In another three weeks (to the day!) so am I.

I have a colleague who is 63. She dyes her hair (nothing wrong with that, I won't do it but that's me) and insists on saying she wants to be 'cutesy'. She doesn't want to admit her age because it makes her feel elderly.

I like your attitude so much more.

I love Maggie May (my colleague) with all my heart, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to hit her. I guess I feel a little different about ageing than she does, because my brother died at not quite 41. Tends to make you much more aware of what the alternatives are, I think.

You can't do anything about it. YOu may as well enjoy it. The friend you spoke of in your original post, here, didn't get that choice.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The thing about playing it "cutesy" is that no-one is taken in. I'm all for "growing old disgracefully" but pretending that you're very much younger than you are is just silly.

Unless you happen to be Cher. How does that woman do it?

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Lots of money. She can afford things we mere mortals cannot.

My therapist told me this morning that people who do the kind of job I do...work with students...tend to be younger at heart. I hope that's true.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Being around the young keeps one young? Yes, that makes perfect sense to me.