What is the Stars? #17 #cong22

Reading Time in Minutes

3

1. Know thyself
2. Be comfortable with growth
3. Connect and develop with your tribe
4. Ad Astra per Aspera

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By Alan Costello

What is the Stars?

Boyle: An’, as it blowed an’ blowed, I ofen looked up at the sky an’ assed meself the question — what is the stars, what is the stars?
Joxer: Ah, that’s the question, that’s the question — what is the stars?
Boyle: An’ then, I’d have another look, an’ I’d ass meself — what is the moon?
Joxer: Ah, that’s the question — what is the moon, what is the moon?

“Juno and the Paycock”, Seán O’Casey (1924)

• What is the purpose of something
• What is the point of it
• What is its reason to be
• What is mine

Why haven’t I used question marks in the above? Likely because I’m neither intellectually nor conceptually fit to treat them as questions that I can answer.

Although of course, I do think that your brain can be ‘fittened’ up to any new task.
(thats not a derivative of fattened….)

Am I nihilistic in thinking. No, nor am I hedonistic or feckless.

To have a Purpose, that capitalised Purpose, is to have a goal, a true north, an outcome or an output as to where you want to go. Thats written more of a statement than the question that was in my mind – is Purpose the where, the why or the how? Should you focus on the destination or the journey – every Instagram philosopher will suggest the obvious.

Where Society might expect you to aim a purpose – a question of self versus a wider directive?

What might you need to know about me:

• I’m planet aware – pollution, temperatures, nature
• I have no kids – so dont give me that procreation malarky. Bad for the planet anyway.
• I’m maturing – or else the effect of being married to a psychotherapist for 15 years.
• I’m getting better at being her partner.
• (Dont forget, even good wines can mature too much – enjoy yourself)

I’m getting better at being me. (but oh boy, has that been learned in life lessons)

I love my work – its helping, supporting, platforming, driving, knowledge sharing. Although that sounds like it could be vocational, I support startups to raise investment and grow. Not every startup, usually the ones who are trying to make the world a better place.

I love learning – its one of the best side effects of my work.

I dip in and out of hobbies, go deep and then move on to green fields

Religion is dangerously broken. Especially since it damages the potential joining in a wider community belief and purpose.

Day to day, year to year and probably decade to decade is sorted.

Good health lives in my family.

I am content, happy and comfortable in seeking more life.

So what about Purpose?

Here’s an odd coincidence

This year, I started a programme with Common Purpose – a leadership programme that blends folk from public/private/arts/charity sectors and supports their mutual learning and personal growth from each other.

Thats kinda cute. Personal growth and development through others.

Have a look at CongRegation.ie. Hover over the submission tab. See its evolution from a digitally aware, technology consumptive group to a society and leadership orientated community.

Could Purpose for me be about personal growth, development and enrichment, through and with others. And everyone else might be similar, I hope? Sounds like a great old world

(Factfulness, Hans Rosling)

Should our world have a Purpose. Other than allow its inhabitants (virus-like) to consume itself within the normal lifecycles of its current primary species? I’m not so into Gaia, but should our Society co-contribute to a Purpose – a better, more even humankind, greater diversity, and then to explore further beyond our little rock in the Universe.

Ad Astra per Aspera – to the stars through difficulty.

John James Ingalls coined the motto in 1861 stating, “The aspiration of Kansas is to reach the unattainable; its dream is the realization of the impossible”

We’re not in Kansas anymore (allow me some of the cheese the moon is made of!), but lets stretch and strive for a better Purpose for all of us and the land on which we inhabit.

Rather than a terrible state of chassis, Boyle from Juno and the Paycock might agree.