Just frivol or essential?

In the last week, Michael Jackson died, Laura Hardman died and I saw Surfing Tommies by BishBashBosh Productions.

Michael Jackson was an icon.  I know all the words to Thriller and created countless dance routines to almost every song he wrote and performed (they were all terrible but I loved them).  When I was at school and college, his music was heard daily in the dance studios and he is part of the fabric of my growing up.  Regardless of his quirks and eccentricity, he has influenced a generation (or two) and it feels to me as though a childhood friend has gone.

Laura was the wife of Jack Morrison (Technical Manager for Kneehigh), Project Manager for the FEAST programme with Cornwall Council and was heavily involved with the Cornwall Film Festival.  She and I had only worked together briefly on a FEAST bid for Festival Support but her death has profoundly affected me.  She and I were similar in some ways – both passionate about the arts, both pro-active project managers, both part of the Cornish Creative Networks.  I am a few years younger than her and her death has brought my own mortality that bit closer to home.

Surfing Tommies is Cornish touring theatre at its best – funny and moving; a great tale, told well.  It tells the tale of 3 Cornish miners who enlist in the army for the First World War.  The youngest of the lads suffers from shellshock and deserts, leading to his death by firing squad.  Told in a far more moving and clever way than I can do justice, this great piece of theatre moved me (and my husband) to tears and reminded me of all those who have gone before me as well as all those who will follow.  How grateful I am that those men and women of our history were prepared to give their lives for my future.

My brother in law is in Iraq at the moment – he’s in the RAF – and many of my friends are serving members of HM Forces throughout the world.  My husband is in the Royal Navy and I admire all those who serve – it’s something that I don’t think I could do.  And this just made the message of Surfing Tommies so poignant.  Thank you, all of you who go beyond the call of duty.

So, rather morbid though this post seems to be, these three incidents have caused me to ponder my own mortality and more positively, to recognise that all of us have a contribution to make; all of us impact on each other every day.  I admire Michael Jackson for his creative output; I admire Laura for her role in the Cornish arts and media industries;  I admire all those who have and are prepared to give their lives in service to their fellow man.  So, I vow to make my efforts worthwhile, to recognise my impact on those around me and to make that a positive one, to give all I can to the benefit of others. I don’t know how long I can keep that up but life’s too short to not care.

Don’t sweat the small stuff, just get on with living. Off to the beach now to do just that!

Tags: events, kneehigh, michael jackson