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Wednesday 13 April 2011

The Gallery - Tomorrow

Here is my contribution to the Gallery this week with its theme of "Tomorrow".

I considered various possibilities for quite a challenging theme. These included showing all the school uniforms and bookbags laid out for morning. That looks like it will represent my tomorrows for many years to come.

I also was going to show a picture of a beach but I talked about that in my Magpie Monday post this week.

Perhaps a picture of the one remaining puppy from my litter of Labradors who I hope will find a new home tomorrow.

In the end, I recalled that tomorrow is the day that an iceberg hit the Titanic in 1912. So here is my Gallery photo to represent that event.



My thoughts on it fall into two categories. Firstly, I looked at the statistics about those who lived and those who died in the Titanic disaster.

Firstly, it is interesting to note how the class system meant far more first class passengers survived that second or third class passengers. Ninety nine years later and with harsh cuts hitting the poorest hardest, I wonder how much has really changed?
More women and children survived than men because the men insisted on them going in the lifeboats first. Would that happen today? Should it if we really want equality? Apparently, proportionately more British died than other nationalities. Conjecture suggests this is because the British formed orderly queues whilst everyone else rushed to escape. Would we still do that today?

Secondly, I reflect on what icebergs might hit in our lives tomorrow. Life is wonderful but there is always a iceberg waiting to churn things up a bit when we least expect it. Let's consider just of a few of my icebergs for a moment.

Rejection by birth mother

Bullying at school and in the workplace

Failing important examinations

Losing a friend to suicide

Friends moving on and leaving me behind

Acquiring step-children

Getting pregnant unexpectedly

Experiencing depression

Being fired

Losing my mum

Of course, icebergs change us and I hope make us more understanding and tolerant of others. Some icebergs will result in sadness for a lifetime and some we learn to live with and even celebrate in time.

I suppose what I am trying to say is that we do not know what tomorrow will bring or even if we will live to see it. The only guarantee in life as my Dad tells me is death. On some as yet unknown tomorrow, you and I will die.

So what is important then? All that matters really is making memories that will survive long after you are gone. Those memories will comfort the loved ones you leave behind and make you a very important person indeed. It won't be your income level, job title or status that people remember. It will be your essence, the core of who you are.

So starting today, in case tomorrow never comes, be a one-off and make some brilliant memories. The housework can wait!

Check out other entries to the Gallery.

28 comments:

  1. Great post, live for today is what I say, you never know what may happen tomorrow.

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  2. Very thoughtful and inspiring, well done!

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  3. bloody perfect. carpe diem and all that. you my dear have hit the nail eloquently on the head x

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  4. Really thoughful and I enjoyed your blog Im a new follower hope you come and join me as well

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  5. Very thought provoking - love the Titanic connection - truly inspired and unexpected. x

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  6. I totally agree about the value of the memories we make and love your words about the 'core' and 'essence' of who we are nearer the end. I'm sorry to read you've had some sad and challenging times in your life, but admire your resolve to step forward positively.

    Wishing you many, happy tomorrows x

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  7. It's always the words behind a photo that change it from 'good' to superb isn't it...really interesting. Thanks for dropping in on me

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  8. Wow! That is some real thought provoking stuff!

    Serves to remind us, we're not all unsinkable.

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  9. You clever thing you! What a brilliant take on tomorrow and your iceberg parallels with your own life's disasters is so clever. I hope your future tomorrows are better for you x

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  10. *claps madly* what a brilliant post. you are right - we should live for today and make the most of it. you never know what life is going to throw at you next.

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  11. Great post,lots of thought and feelings into this post,hope you have a great tomorrow :)

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  12. Great post. Very thought provoking. Thanks for checking me out on: http://wouldliketobeayummymummy.blogspot.com. I am following you now :-)

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  13. I love this post, great take on the theme and get you thinking.

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  14. brilliant post... icebergs are dangerous things - quite often those who know us and love us only see the tip of the iceberg!
    http://touchandtickle.blogspot.com/2011/04/gallery-tomorrow.html

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  15. A sad, moving and inspiring post. Why do I get the feeling there is much more you are not saying.
    Big hugs and may you move forward into many more tomorrows that hold peace and love for you xx

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  16. what a lovely post. Sounds like you've had more of your fair share of icebergs x

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  17. An excellent take on this weeks gallery. Very inspiring. x

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  18. Great post! I live by the philosophy of live each moment like it's your last. The icebergs in my life have only made me a stronger and more determined person.

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  19. Definitely thought provoking!

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  20. Loved the look at the titanic. I also hope yoiu move forward into lots of tomorrows


    xx

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  21. "The housework can wait" I like that motto.

    A really thought provoking and moving post. You've been through so much but as they say, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger and I'm a firm believer in that.

    Great take on the the theme.

    x

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  22. What a brilliant metaphor. I love the journey you just took me on there. You are right it is all about memories, have you read the poem Success by Emerson:

    To laugh often and much;
    To win the respect of intelligent people
    and the affection of children;
    To earn the appreciation of honest critics
    and endure the betrayal of false friends;
    To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
    To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,
    a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
    To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
    This is to have succeeded.

    It was a reading at my mum's funeral, it reminded me of what you said here.

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  23. A very clever take on the theme, and a very sincere post. You have encountered a lot of icebergs in your life but steered around them and kept going. Keep things on an even keel and look to the future.

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  24. The housework can wait forever - you're right - what a brave, honest post. Good luck with all the icebergs, best wishes for a bright tomorrow.
    ~M

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  25. Fabuous message in there. I fully intend to use my next few days making memories forever.

    Mich x

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  26. Beautifully written. It seems we approached the subject from the same angle. The iceberg in our life is the tsunami. On the calendar tommorrow has come but in reality it is still a long long way away. May each and everyone of us draw from the yesterday what we need to to make a better tommorrow.

    thanks for stopping by :)

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  27. What a great post. The iceberg/titanic analogy is a brilliant one (although I think the ship hit the iceberg, not the other way round). The class issue is well observed and I agree totally.

    As much as we try to predict tomorrow and prepare for it, we're still totally clueless, aren't we.

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