No matter how long your time on the planet has been, life always has more to offer. What’s the most recent thing to raise your spirits and make you feel glad to be here?
I think it’s time for one of my very simple competitions. Gentle reader: From which popular fictional character are the following the first words uttered?
“Look how old you’ve become.”*
No matter how old you might have become, how much time you’ve spent on the planet, life always holds the potential for delight, renewal and refreshment.
I’d just like to share here three things that have made my day over the past 48 hours and made life feel new. I hope three things that’ve enriched your day might spring readily to your mind, too.
It’s all about the time you have on the planet
Listening to two Jewish gents chat and kvetch about life will always be one of the greatest pleasures. I was all a-grin for every second of Marc Maron’s quite delightful WTF podcast chat with director Rob Reiner (who also, of course, stepped out in front of the camera to portray Marty DiBergi in his film This is Spinal Tap).
At around the 30-minute mark in this chat, Reiner shares a beautifully simple formulation for living your life well: Just bear in mind that “it’s all about the time you have on the planet.” Here’s Reiner’s words in full:
Maron: What kind of director are you, a nice guy?
Reiner: I’m pretty nice, I’m pretty good. I like to have a nice set, I like to have a nice experience. I figured this out early on, but I really understand it now. It’s all about the time you have on the planet. So, if it’s horrible and crappy and terrible then that’s all you have. So you might as well have a nice, fun experience. And maybe you’ll make a good movie, maybe you won’t. But the time you’re spending, you’re enjoying it.
London will never stop giving
A gent who is tired of London, etc, etc. You may well have heard these words more than once before. But that doesn’t stop them being true.
Heading into London is every bit as exciting for me as it was the very first time I set foot there, probably nigh on 40 years ago (although excitable under-five me very nearly ran out in front of a taxi on first arriving at Euston all those years back. Mercifully my mum was there to save me).
London felt every bit as full of possibility and life on Friday, when I tweeted the following picture on my way to meet a group of longstanding and beloved friends for lunch. I wasn’t sure this group might ever assemble again. But I am so thankful they did. I am thankful too to Simon Heath for sharing a (hopefully not too postprandial) pic of the venue and some of the lunch group.
A like from Luke
A
“like” from the son of Skywalker!
If the me of 30-something years ago
could ever have guessed something like this might one day happen…
And here’s the picture of Threepio’s thirsty work closer up.**
These moments are there to remind us what life truly is. I sincerely hope life has been good to you of late. What’s the most recent thing to renew your own appreciation of your time on the planet?
Footnotes
* Usual simple mjcarty competition rules apply:
All guesses welcome, and there may even be a non-existent virtual prize for the first and/or best(est) guesses received.
** I of course do not even begin to suggest that I have any copyright claim over this image, and will be more than happy to remove it from this post immediately if required.
- Image at top of post via WikiMedia Commons.
MJCarty 
