What if?

I went to a local pancake shop this morning (while I was out and about doing other things). There I read the freebie i newspaper, which is full of bad tidings, while I enjoyed an apple/cherry/and chipped almond pancake that I washed down with a bucket-size cup of cappucinno. How simple the good things can be.

I thought about commenting on some of the headlines: the seemingly never-ending discussion about Brexit; the pros and cons of a second Scottish referendum on independence from the United Kingdom; another little bright told me the Welsh (some Welsh) are hoping to follow the Scottish trend; and so is Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland.

And yesterday was Commonwealth Day. It was 'celebrated' by the great and the good from 52 Commonwealth member countries at Westminster Abbey in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and, in order of succession: Prince Charles, and Princes William and Harry. Sixteen Commonwealth nations share the Queen as their sovereign Head of State although each of them is governed separately. The remainder recognise her as Head of the Commonwealth but the title isn't hereditary.

I've mused elsewhere about the enormous potential for awful confusion just over the horizon. WHAT IF, for example, the United Kingdom actually leaves the European Union? WHAT IF our UK Parliament is dispersed about the same time to enable refurbishment of the palaces of Westminster; WHAT IF the oft mooted cull in the House of Lords goes ahead about the same time; WHAT IF these events materialise around the time of the next General Election: and WHAT IF Her Majesty the Queen should go to her eternal rest at the same time?

And WHAT IF there is a sudden rise of republicanism amongst our population?

WHAT IF Prince Charles doesn't succeed to the throne either by his own choice or by popular acclaim: WHAT IF Prince William is proposed as the next King? WHAT IF the Scots, Welsh and Irish should choose to leave the United Kingdom? What impact would that have on our ability to defend the Realm? WHAT IF our government continues towards the military union of France and UK and the seemingly inevitable military EU/UK union that places the British nuclear button within the reach of those who have no nuclear toys yet?

Psalm 146 verse 3 comes to mind. "Put not your trust in princes" or as the New Living Translation puts it: "Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there."

It sounds to me like good advice.

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I came home to check my emails and found this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012-61RWnjE 

To me, the philosophy expressed here turns politics and economics on their head and draws attention to the essential and basic ideas expressed by 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.' (The United States Declaration of Independence).

WHAT IF we and our best friends should take on board the attitude that we'll do only those things that we desire to do?  WHAT IF we choose NOT to do what others merely oblige us to do? Is that selfish? I mean, is it selfish to pursue Life, Liberty and Happiness? Or is that just the healthiest, most meaningful, most important pursuit we could have? What else is there but striving to own baubles we cannot keep? And if we can't keep them, we don't truly own them and we never did. They are merely in your hands for a while.  Think it through. The results you come up with could have a major impact on what you put on your bucket list.

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