On The Contrary

The disappointment is shocking when Winston capitulates at the end of 1984. “He loved Big Brother”. But Orwell knew that the human race is stubborn and that you can often only change behavior by playing on their fears.

‘End good – All good’ the Dutch say. If it ends well, you forget the sorrow and obstacles you have gone through. An optimistic way of looking at life which also allows for one to carry on in tougher times.

A beloved father of a friend of mine past away last week – he had suffered for a long time and now suddenly life had come to an end. I understood the funeral was ‘fantastically beautiful’. It became memorable through Mediterranean weather, touching speeches, hundreds of friends attending, all topped up with a personal handmade coffin created from his dad’s artworks. Suddenly it was all good and only the good memories remained.

If we only would be more assured that things will work out in the end, would we enjoy life more? Live in the moment. Or would we immediately become complacent and take things as a given? Or would we got the complete opposite way by diving into each situation, head first, with full on risk? Which ever way – to feel happiness, you need to have felt pain.

There is nothing like a good happy end. And we can’t get enough of it – but it’s the unhappy ones that keep us from getting off track and aiming for positive progress. Thank you George.