Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Friday 10 April 2020

The Importance of Being Earnest

photo Britta


I have to confess that I am at a loss:
in these times of Impending Death, I sometimes feel that it might be inappropriate to write about something so frilly as sweet peas.
Same with irony, same with making you laugh about something (I see a lot these days that makes me laugh - but then I think: What if one of you just was hit by fate??)

I am not heartless, but laughing about minor misfortunes makes it easier to cope with stress.
Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford coined this famous phrase:

"The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel" 

which he wrote to Anne, Countess of Ossory in 1776 (quoting himself, he had written it before to Sir Horace Mann, but I do not want to bore you: "I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those who feel - a solution why Democritus laughed and Heraclitus wept.")

I am somewhere in-between: I laugh a lot (you know me), but of course I weep too, and feel sorry for all those who caught the disease or who are concerned about their beloved ones (as I am too).

But then I think: life was always dangerous.
Life was always something we cannot control (though we sometimes think or wish so).
Mankind was always surprisingly good and surprisingly bad - or downright stupid (studying literature gives you a good insight...).

Maybe I live a "small life" - but it is my life - probably the only one I'll ever have. So I will write about what I see - and sometimes that are sweat peas, even in time of Impending Death.
Some times we see ID more clearly, sometimes we are drunk with the intoxicating scent of sweet peas and don't.
And thus I spare you the story of the Zen monk and the strawberry (though I think it is a wonderful, wonderful story - and if three comments beg me to tell: I might. Tell you...).

I wish you all good health, my friends!



6 comments:

  1. Oh do tell the story of the monk and the strawberry. The Walpole quote is quite profound, even at this time of stress, I love to laugh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will, Terra - although there are evidently not three people who want to hear it :-) - maybe they know it already, or think: "Bah - another Zen-story..".
      To laugh is wonderful, every time - and I indulge in it!

      Delete
  2. Tis better to think than feel. I know that, to the despair of my artist friends who proclaim only feelings.
    Tell us the story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love the mixture, Joanne! But I agree that those friends who indulge in "pure feelings" are a bit exhausting - sometimes...

      Delete
  3. Cogito, ergo sum Sententia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Geo., I follow your quote and admire the Cartesians - but do have my problems with maths :-)

      Delete