Monday 10 May 2010

Still no discernible functioning government, then.  Dear, oh dear.  I hope no-one with a mind for mischief decides to take advantage of the situation to stage an "incident" - though that would sort the men from the boys in an instant.

I have decided to abandon my march to power.  I stubbed my toe yesterday - and nobody wants to invoke the Emergency Broadcast System to address the newly-enslaved proletariat with a stubbed toe.

That barked, I have utilised my weekend to come up with a few ideas on any future leadership.  If you'll indulge me, I shall share them with you now.

Surely the first question to be asked of any potential political leaders and their cabinet members should be: "Do you want to be in power?"  and if their reply should be: "Yes.", then that individual should be discounted immediately.  For, surely, those who govern should not be driven by a lust for personal aggrandizement, but for the privilege, and indeed necessity, of using their God-given gifts to strive for the Greater Good and a better world for all.

Of course; it would have been EASY for me to have utilised my mighty strength, power, and  - yes - devastating good-looks, to rise to power for nought but personal gain and the undoubted worship of thousands.  But that would not have sat well with my moral conscience.  Oh no.  Instead, I share - gladly - with you the stories of how I almost succumbed to the siren-song of a malevolent Buzzard, only to nearly become his five-star-luxury ready meal.  Stories of how my partner and I have faced bankruptcy and despair - and, together, survived.  Life has shat (excuse me, I must be explicit here) liberally upon us both, my partner and I, and EACH time we have (with the support of each other) clawed our way back up the sheer, slippery slopes of utter misery and continue to thrive.  I employ these and other tales in the hope that they may amuse - and also in the hope that others in similar situations can draw comfort and strength from the fact that, no matter how dire the set-back, here we still are.  Here we still smile.  Here we still delight in each others' company.  Here we still draw comfort and warmth from friends like you.

For there are two kinds of strength and power.  I must trespass a little longer on your patience whilst I elaborate.

Imagine a canoe, on a dangerous stretch of white water river.  All occupants are weak pups, save one.  Using a pseudonym, we'll call the one strong member of the party "Jasper" (for confidentiality purposes, you understand).  Without warning, the canoe strikes a rock below the waterline and shatters.  All occupants cling desperately to a rock. 

In scenario 'A', the strong, powerful Jasper swims to the bank.  He knows that, after only a short while, the coldness of the water and the fast-flowing torrents will - one by one - cause the weak pups to lose their grip on the rock and be swept away.  Jasper runs as fast as he can away from the scene.  When reaching the nearest civilisation, he expresses his sorrow and grief.  There was nothing he could have done to save the others and he extends his sympathy to their families.  They express their gratitude for the fact that, at least, he tried.

In scenario 'B', the strong, powerful Jasper swims to the bank. He knows that, after only a short while, the coldness of the water and the fast-flowing torrents will - one by one - cause the weak pups to lose their grip on the rock and be swept away. Jasper runs as fast as he can to some nearby tree debris.  Using whatever he can find, he lashes some sturdy-looking branches together to form a crude raft - or, at least, a float - all the while encouraging the frightened pups to hold on to their rock.  Jasper 'B' then jumps BACK into the water with his rudimentary device, uses his swimming skills to reach the pups, gets them either onto or clinging to his tree debris and, with his strength and power, swims back to the bank whilst pushing the 'float'.  Jasper and the pups run as fast as they can away from the scene. When reaching the nearest civilisation, Jasper 'B' expresses his sorrow and grief for the unhappy sequence of events and then withdraws discreetly from the scene as the rescued pups are reunited with their families. They express their gratitude for the fact that he saved their loved ones.


Two different scenarios?  No.  They are the same.  Only a choice was made by the one individual who knew that he was the one who could help.

I suspect that, in reality, I'd be Jasper 'A'.  But I hope and pray that, if it GENUINELY came down to it, I'd stop for a moment and decide to be Jasper 'B'.

I was going to post the next instalment of "The Evolution of Jasper" tonight - but I couldn't.  The prospect of it upset me too much.  Next time, I promise.  Hopefully...

Good night.