Now is when it happens
Published: Wed, 12/26/12
Last night we watched the movie The Boat that Rocked, not the
greatest film ever made but a lot of fun. In case you don't
know this film it is about pirate radio stations in 1966 and 1967
before the government closed them down. In the story it is
announced to the crew that they will soon be closed down. There
then follows a scene when the DJ known as "The Count",
played by Philip Seymour-Hoffman, makes a rather maudlin speech how
this has to have been the best days of their lives and it must be
all down hill from now on. In fact, although the government did
close down the pirate radio ships, the BBC started Radio One and
licenses were issued and frequencies made available for commercial
radio stations. So most of the previously outlaw DJs walked
straight into lucrative jobs without having to live out in the
North sea. But the point was that for a period of probably less
than two years the pirate radio stations defied the authorities and
broadcast rock music to the nation and changed popular culture for
ever. If the film is anything to go by then working on a pirate
radio ship must have been difficult, uncomfortable and potentially
dangerous and more fun than you can imagine if you were of the
right age and inclination at the time.
The mistake the Count was making was in thinking that life is an
event to be looked forward to or remembered with either
satisfaction or regret. Life is a process which continues until we
die in our current form. The character in the film had allowed
himself to slip out of the present and see a past already escaping
and a future with nothing to look forward to. It is a common
mistake and, in this case, forgivable because it was a momentary
realization of just how much alive he and his companions were at
that time. Reflection is part of the process of life too but it
mustn't replace actual living.
So as the year draws to a close this is a good time for reflection.
But don't make the mistake of thinking it is all over in some
way, or life could be good if only something beyond your control
would change. Take the opportunity to take a walk in the fresh air
and appreciate your surroundings, make contact with friends and pay
attention to them. Cook a good meal and eat it slowly savoring
every mouthful. Let yourself be guided to whatever it is that you
need to do to find that sense of being alive, not yesterday, not
tomorrow, but now.