Age of insecurity #129
Harry McQuillen’s Age of insecurity
Recently I’ve been doing, or not doing things in a way that is entirely out of character. I’ll agree that I’m old, and that the 87 year old body can’t do what it did. But some of my behaviour, I fear, is odd in the extreme.
I’ve just walked into my house after walking out in front of a car that I just didn’t see. I hereby offer my heartfelt apology to the driver and occupants of the car. Am I the only person in that age bracket (85-90) who hasn’t been quite on the ball? Has covid anything to do with the condition.
We listen to news (or read it, or watch it) hoping for light in the darkness. Sometimes we’re suspicious of government, business, the World Order, mask wearers, and the whole variety of events, attitudes and complexities that we see today.
The nervous tension is tangible. Many of us seem to be twanging like an over tightened violin string – or a guitar string. No doubt we expected trouble of all sorts when the pandemic ran wild. It seems that we now have it in spades.
There’s talk of travel, sports events, holidays abroad, holidays at home called STAYCATIONS. People are so used to freedom and to making choices in most departments of their lives. Gone are the days when nearly everybody found a job and settled down in “The daily round, the common task will furnish all we need to ask”. The certainties of religion aren’t so popular in our very secular world. The paradox of a divided world is that nothing will really work unless we work together.
There is controversy locally, largely about numbers of non-mask-wearing visitors, and the prevalence of holiday lets. Parking is a nightmare for both residents and visitors. Let’s see how things work out in the High Holiday Season. Funnily enough, I’m not at all gloomy in my outlook. People are pretty adaptable.
The quadrupling of population in my lifetime wasn’t inevitable, but it’s happened. The world has enough resource to sustain us all, with a bit of give and take. Remember the old adage “It is better to give than to receive”. That one isn’t always easy to follow. Perhaps we will just have to rub along much as we have always done. But preferably with less angst!
Amble thrives with its markets, scenery, business, locals and visitors and the atmosphere we generate. With any luck we will still be a Canny Toon into the 22nd century.
With apologies for eccentricity and other manifestations of Old Age.
Harry
