All I know is this. Politicians, mostly, stand for one thing, and one thing only – being elected. Those who genuinely dare to make a difference and can’t be bought – are in danger of their lives. And will either be killed by a bullet or a smear campaign.
All I know is this. Jesus, whether he was the Messiah, the Son of God, a gifted rabbi, or just another madman in the wilderness, preached a message of love and forgiveness – regardless of the translations, the interpretations or the Chinese whispers – his message, and the price he paid for it, are worthy of my respect, and love.
All I know is this. Shakespeare has the perfect quote to describe any condition of human nature. So does Bob Dylan.
All I know is this. They no longer make films for mature audiences.
All I know is this. It is alright to love something – but you are damned if you love that thing too much.
All I know is this. Today we have at our fingertips on the internet more easily accessed information than any previous generation that inhabited this planet. And yet the ignorance level has never been higher. Who the hell is Paul McCartney? Go fuck yourself.
All I know is this. Lee Harvey Oswald didn’t shoot J.F.K and the men who did got away with it.
All I know is this. None of us have any real idea what’s happening in the world at the moment. We have been purposely misinformed for many years now because the only way to keep the public in line is to have them in a constant state of confusion and chaos. Oh, and hopefully, on drugs.
All I know is this. The War on Terrorism is as calculatingly and cynically futile and convenient as the War on Drugs.
All I know is this. Two of Hollywood’s greatest geniuses, or genii, Charles Chaplin and Orson Welles, were both run out of town. Does that tell you something?
All I know is this. Children’s theatre and pantomimes were the first introduction of many kids like me to the magical world of theatre. And once hooked on it we continued to go back in search of other magical nights. It built a whole future audience for stage shows. Sadly, what we knew as children’s theatre is now as dead as the Wicked Witch. Ding dong.
All I know is this. We owe more than we know to The Beatles. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
All I know is this. The more you see of Life, the less you think you know.
All I know is this. Humility is the open road to God.
All I know is this. More lives had been lost or damaged through manmade religions than all the wars since the beginning of time. God is great. But his organized fan clubs are run by the ignorant and the flawed.
All I know is this. You can’t judge somebody by the colour of their skin, their gender, the size of their wallet, or their religion. We can only truly be judged on the fabric of our spirit.
All I know is this. You can’t make somebody love you.
All I know is this. Success comes to those who persist. If you lean against a closed door long enough eventually it flies open.
All I know is this. Some of the old clichés have become clichés because they hold the truth. Everything in moderation. If you eat, drink, do, or take too much of anything it will harm you.
All I know is this. Anthony Newley was a genius that the world has largely forgotten now.
All I know is this. Everything you learn you learn in the first five years of your life. Then it may take a lifetime to overcome that.
All I know is this. Any battle is hard won.
All I know is this. Much more is achieved by a smile than a threat.
All I know is this. Every mistake we make is an opportunity to learn something. Those of us who don’t learn are destined to repeat it over and over again. Some, sadly, are stuck in Groundhog Day all their lives.
All I know is this. You never lose a friend. They live on in your heart forever.
All I know is this. We’re not here for long, so be kind to each other.
(c) Frank Howson 2016
