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Chris wrote: >I've troubled over this. And the "almost" of my post reflects my continuing >exploration of what that might mean. I believe that you're almost certainly >right. But the implications are considerable. How should we then live? And >that continues to be my torment. Does one choose or accept a vocation. In my >naughty mechanistic terms I'd say it was genetic and I can't do anything >about the matter, other than comply if I am to have a chance of an >"authentic" life. The idea of vocation is hard to talk about without sounding all mystical and portentous, and that's not in the least accurate. (Although, to be honest, I found quite a lot that was illuminating in reading St John of the Cross, especially when he talks about language.) All I know is that every major decision I've made in my life has been dictated by the necessity of facilitating the writing of poetry, because when I've made decisions that don't, I feel absolutely miserable. It's never felt like much of a choice to me. Ionesco talks about a "mental necessity". The why has always escaped me. I've sometimes thought of it as a kind of addiction. How can you be wickedly mechanistic and yet talk about an "authentic" life? > >What times is it over there, by the way. You must be up very early! I _was_ up early - a small boy over-excited by the tooth fairy dragged me untimely from my sleep. I think there's about 12 hours difference. Best Alison