Science can be Sooooo Cruel!

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/apr/18/animal-lives-wasted-in-drugs-safety-tests?CMP=ema_632

I found this article talking about the creatures who gave their lives in scientific experiments that didn't offer much of use to science, online recently. In a properly designed and funded experiment, the lives of animals may be worthwhile, but the article talks of experiments that are poorly designed and run in a number of ways.

These animals of course were probably bred for the purpose of assisting in scientific experiments, but that doesn't mean their lives can just be wasted on useless experimentation. The article focuses on the UK, but I expect the truth is that it's a worldwide thing, with rats, mice and other creatures dying for little good.

Just because scientific experimentation was why they were brought into the world doesn't mean having them die in this useless way is OK. The whole idea of the ways humans use and abuse animals is a fraught one. On the one hand, humans are the ones who undertake to bring these creatures into existence for the purpose of assisting them with their work.

On the other hand though, all creatures have some rights, don't they? Some lobby groups would say they most certainly do, others may be more equivocal about the issue. Other groups might say, they're only critters, who cares?

I have to confess I'm in the equivocal group. I believe that animals can play a useful part in scientific experimentation, and the endeavour is one that whould continue, for the betterment of mankind. But if these small lives are wasted, with no useful result for mankind, I am dead-set against it. Is this too namby-pamby? Should I rise up against this?

I am against animal cruelty, but I live with four dogs, and I have been involved in the breeding of dogs for pets and for showing in the past. Some animal rights groups (PETA in particulare) are against the keeping of animals as companions, and they feel they should be set free. I completely oppose this idea. I do my best to give my dogs a good life, with food, shelter and love. If I set my dogs free, Idon't think they would be happier in the long run than they are now, living with us.

I don't know all of the answers, but I hope that by writing this article, I may get others thinking further on the issue ...  I welcome the thoughts of others on these issues.

How to Remember me when I Go

These are not my final words, I'm certainly not thinking of leaving this world just yet. When I go, I want it to happen after a full and happy life, and while my life is certainly a happy one, I still have many things I wish to do before the end.

But I've been thinking about things, about people I know, choices I've made, and others have made. Lots of poeple want to be remembered for big things - buildings designed, trophies won, and so forth. My ideas are different. I'm never going to build a house that amazes all, I don't ever want to build any house. And I'm never going to run races, and win in record times.

My garden has lovely things in it, but it's not the most gorgeous and amazing garden ever. I'm not breathtakingly gorgeous, or the sexiest little minx anyone could ever imagine. No, I'm none of these things. Nor am I an absolute genius who creates wonderful machines, or finds answers formerly unknown to mankind.

What I am, is a person who cares about other people. I'm quite good at listening quietly. Listening is a skill not all are able to do well. To listen, one must switch off their own mind chatter, and properly pay attention to the words spoken to you. And you must switch off your critic - your opinions and answers aren't needed at this listening stage.

Sometimes a kind and quiet listener can be the best thing for a troubled person. If you can fill that role, and do it well, you can be a life-saver. You can be the quiet hero, just because you cared enough to listen, just listen.

So when I do die, I hope at least some people will remember me as a good listener. That's all, just a good listener. Thank you.

Being Kind to this lonely little blog ...

I've been neglecting this blog shamefully. It's done nothing wrong, it doesn't deserve to be neglected like this. I wrote a comment on a friend's Facebook page a little while ago. I like the comment, and it's had some interesting response from others.

After I read my comment again, I thought, hmm, where could I further expand on this thought? And the answer that came to me, was, to write about it on this blog. It's totally relevant to the blog, being about kindness...

So this was my comment:

'Always be kind to yourself, at least as kind as you are to those you love.'

I truly believe this to be true. I always give myself the benefit of the doubt. I deserve that, just as I believe other people deserve it too. I try to consider my actions though, to decide whether I actually deserve the kindness I've given to myself. I'm not perfect, no human being is. Sometimes I'm lazy, selfish, thoughtless and so on. But on considering the reasons why I fail to achieve perfection, I can find answers to help me next time...

With the blogging thing, neglecting this blog, which probably could be a much more widely used blog, I know the reasons for the neglect, to some extent. I got hooked on blogging and went overboard with it, first one blog, then two and now suddenly I have hmm, I'm not really sure how many, perhaps twelve...

I go to some of them more often. The ones relevant to possible money making things, get the most attention, as is a good idea, I feel. This blog here though, a blog about being kind, well surely that should get more attention. There is a terrible deficit of kindness in the world. People feel bad, they lash out at others, and kindness is completely forgotten ...

I remember the kindness issue though. In my comments online, I try to be kind. In my dealings with others in 'the real world' I try to be kind. I know other people appreciate my kindness, because they tell me so. I hope I am spreading a network of kindness. 

Do you know someone who could do with some kindness? Let them know you care, tell them and show them in your actions that you care. You will both benefit from it. If the someone who needs the kindness, well, what a great start it would be, to do something nice to yourself. Think of something you'd like to do, see, hear, and do it - plant something, taste something, see something, and enjoy being kind to yourself!

Thinking about Life

Hugs and love and beautiful words bring life to life! Do you believe those words? I believe them, deeply in my mind and in that place inside where good things grow and become lovely.

I’m a poet, and I love to share my words. I use my words to find some clarity in my life, and the lives I see all around me. Using words well requires thinking, thinking that goes further than the obvious, delves deeper than shallow first thoughts, that can be easily spewed up without any reflection.

This thinking more deeply and creating art, whether it’s in words, or images, or shapes, adds to the lives of any and all who come to see, hear or read the thoughts or the representation of those thoughts. If you live your life shallowly, accepting without thought all you’re told, you will miss out on so much beauty.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then the eye of a thoughtful beholder, one who considers the wonders of Nature and sees miracles in the mundane, will see the beauty in so much more. As the untutored child sees a bird and dreams of flight, so the thoughtful thinker sees life and dreams of higher levels of life. They don’t desire more electrical goods, or cars, in life, they desire more love and compassion, more books and beauty.

I strive to be one of those thoughtful thinkers. My words come from my thoughts, and from my dreams. They come from my hopes of my future and my hopes for the world. This is my life, and I want my life to live, to truly Live!

Thoughts about Good and Bad People

This is a strange period of time. Christmas approaches with all of the fun and stress that comes with that. And the Westernised part of the world thinks about the horror of what happened in the Newtown Sandy Hook Elementary School.

It's easy to cast the killer as an evil person, and consider it a thing that could not have been averted. This was a young man though, who had family, and a life. Something went wrong, and I wonder if this whole thing, and his attitudes to life and death could have been turned around if someone could have heard his voice.

Listening is a such a simple thing to do, properly listening to someone who needs to talk. If this man had been able to tell his story, and been properly heard, what may have changed?

There are bad people, there are good people. This man that killed these school children and adults at that school did a terrible thing. He is not evil, even though the act was evil. There were also good people on that awful day.

I wish there had been a good person to have listened to this young man, before he felt he had to do something to get the attention he craved. There was no-one there, not when they were needed. Are there enough good people in our world? Are you a good person?

How can you tell the difference between good people and bad people? Good people do good things and don't expect anything back when they do them. Bad people only do good things when they get something back from it.

I try to live my life as a good person. I hope you do too, can you honestly call yourself a good person?

Kindness comes in many forms

I try to be kind to others in my life. I give, without expecting anything in return, and I smile at strangers readily. My life has had it's challenges, the same as most people's lives.

I don't dwell on the bad things that have happened though, instead I focus on the good things. Every day that I can wake up and get out of bed is surely a good day!

Many people I know think I'm wonderful, because of my attitude to the things I have in my life. But I'm just an ordinary person, living my life in the best way possible. There are many people out there, having to live with things so much worse than what I live with.

I've just finished reading the memoir of a totally amazing young man. He is profoundly disable, unable to do for himself most of the things needed in life. He is one of the most positive people I know though, living his own life in the best way he can too. 

The young man is Philip Eling, and his memoir is 'Life is What You Make It'. I've met Philip several times now, and the more I see him, the more I'm thrilled to be his friend!

The reason I'm writing this blog post is to celebrate the life of a wonderful person, and also to meet an obligation I have. I connected on Facebook with a group which is promoting the idea of doing small kindnesses. I have included a link here, telling you about it. http://www.writingourwayhome.com/2012/11/small-kindnesses.html

Being kind to others is a gift that gives back to you. I may have said this on this blog before, but it's worth repeating it. Even a small kindness like smiling at someone can do immeasurable good. It's free, it feels good, and it's good for everyone involved!

I'm going to post the link here to the publisher of this book, and I strongly recommend you check it out - you'll be amazed at the strength of character of this young man. 

A Free Gift To You

Yes, I said a free gift, but I'm not talking about a thing you can hold in your hands. The free gift I'm talking about are these words:

"You, and only you, are responsible for your own happiness. How you look on your life will determine how happy you are, and how contented you feel."

Can you believe these words and shape your life around them? I hope you can, because if you do, you can go from having a bad life, to having a good life. We all have things that happen - accidents, illnesses negative people. These things can bring us down, so we feel like life is against us and there's nothing we can do about it.

Those feelings are wrong though. We can look at our life, and see many good things that are going on. Nature brings me many happy and positive things every day. It may be raining, but sometimes there's a rainbow shining down from the sky. Birds continue to tweet and chirp and fly from place to place. Our pets go on loving us every day...

If you want to live a life with much happiness, go out and find the happy moments that are already out there. It will change your life around, and Happiness will gather around you!

I write about my own life in various places, in real life, and online. This is another of my blogs, where I've spoken about living a positive life...