What do you want to be when you grow up?

Small Offerings
Apr 17, 2020
2 min read

Easter Friday 2020

One of the memories of my childhood was night prayers. My Mother would kneel down with me by the bed. We would ask God to bless Mummy, Daddy, granny, grandpa, my brothers and a whole list of friends and even world leaders ending with our pets, especially the dogs.

Then we would ask Our Lady to help out.

Finally, we would have a moment of silence, what Mum called the examination of conscience, followed by asking forgiveness for hurting others and for those who had hurt me.

The examination of conscience has remained with me all my life.

To me it is similar to Plato's ‘an unexamined life is not worth living’.

I have added to conscience.

I have added over the years and decades many a question to ask and examine: Why am I here? What is my purpose? How do I know what is right and wrong? How do I stop myself doing wrong? Then also the questions as to what is moral, what is the good life?

When we spoke of conscience my Mother spoke of God's commandments in the Scriptures and of Jesus's life and exhortations. My Father spoke of integrity: of being at ease with oneself.

How fortunate I was to have such wonderful parents, brothers and a lifestyle and experiences beyond the wildest dreams of many.

I ask now did that happy childhood, that happy family background and then the schools I was sent to, the people I met, the countries in which I lived...did they influence my moral and spiritual outlook, my conscience and my idea of good, right?

Am I free to decide beyond the influence of my nurturing, my genetic make-up and my nature? I believe so yet it is within these parameters that I try to discern and live the good life. Of course, I also think, examine and sit in silence and stillness to listen...listen to my heart, to my thoughts and to the ideas, comments and beliefs beyond me in society and other cultures and traditions.

My fear is that I am subconsciously prejudiced, fixed in my own beliefs.

How would I react in extreme circumstances?

What is the price which could buy my conscience, my life and beliefs?

Would I steal, kill?

Would I hate and injure?

I know so and indeed I need the self examination often.

I need the strength daily to increase my resolve to pursue and live the good life.

Theoretically I subscribe to only the one commandment...to love.

Defining love is impossible as it is infinite and we are finite.

For now I again turn to Plato: ‘be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle’

Have you read Charlie Mackery's book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse?