The good life

Pastime with Good Company

Pastime with good company
I love, and shall until I die
Grudge who will, but none deny
So God be pleased, thus live will I

For my pastance

Hunt, sing and dance
My heart is set;
All goodly sport
For my comfort
Who shall me let?

Youth must have some dalliance
Of good or ill some pastance

Company methinks them best
All thoughts and fancies to digest
For idleness is chief mistress
Of vices all; then who can say
But mirth and play
Is best of all?

Pastime with good company
I love, and shall until I die
Grudge who will, but none deny
So God be pleased, thus live will I

For my pastance
Hunt, sing and dance
My heart is set;
All goodly sport
For my comfort
Who shall me let?

Company with honesty
Is virtue, vice to flee;
Company is good and ill
But every man hath his free will
The best ensue
The worst eschew;
My mind shall be
Virtue to use
Vice to refuse
Thus shall I use me...

(From the lyrics to a song originally written by Henry VIII also known as “The Kings Ballad”, beautifully brought back to life by my favorite minstrel band “Blackmore’s Night”)

 

As I was driving to work this morning I was listening to the text of this song and started thinking about what it really means. (The drive to and from work is about the only time that I have to think about these things!)

Now I suppose Henry VIII wasn’t a very pleasant guy to be around if you got him mad, but nevertheless I love this text of his. It sums up for me, what makes life worth living.

I don't know why but that got me thinking about what's going on in Egypt and other Arabian countries.

Most who will read this on my blog are luckily born in an age and country where we are able to lead such a life of good company or at least have a choice. Certainly Henry VIII did. A lot of people in this world are not, so I’m posting this to show my solidarity with those who are peacefully demonstrating for democracy in their countries.

Don't we all have a right for pastime with good company, and free will?

Last night I heard a commentary on the radio about the demonstrations in Egypt, that the Egyptians who are demonstrating are feeling let down by the rest of the world, because no one (western Governments) seems to be showing any solidarity with their cause. They are demonstrating for democracy, for free will, peacefully. So many of them have been killed and hurt and our "western" governments are not coming down very hard on Mubarak. Well I understand the need to be diplomatic but maybe our government officials should show more support for people who are fighting for democracy in a peaceful manner. Well, to put it bluntly, when there's no oil involved why bother right? That seems to be the message from our governments.

What is it that we normal blokes can do to show our solidarity, what can one person do? Maybe just show our support in that we let them know we are thinking of them, hoping that freedom and democracy will ultimately win. This makes me think of the time when the East Germans were demonstrating for exactly the same thing. What happened back then could happen now too, a peaceful change. Hoping that it will happen.