蜜芽传媒

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:

My summer getaway has been and gone 鈥� a pool-side, bar-side beach holiday. Bliss. Except... I had a bit of surgery recently, so no swimming, nor alcohol. The pool, bar and beach... well they looked good. Instead I finished more books in a week than I鈥檇 read in a year.

I look back on the holiday with fond memories of my kids enjoying the pool, my wife enjoying a glass of something, and me enjoying them enjoying it. I was determined not to let my physical woes ruin our fun.

Throughout my life, I鈥檝e had my fair share of medical upset. From corneal transplants to wonky bladder to clicky knees, I鈥檓 part human, part walking advert for the NHS. I have my down moments, dwelling on what I 肠补苍鈥檛 do. I 肠补苍鈥檛 use 3D glasses, I 肠补苍鈥檛 use the loo without apparatus, and I couldn鈥檛 swim on holiday.

But I鈥檓 an optimist, a comedian, and a Christian. I鈥檓 an Anglican, not an Angli肠补苍鈥檛. A communion wine cup half-full kind of person. So I find I鈥檓 best looking beyond my restrictions.

Of course, dwelling on what we 肠补苍鈥檛 do can do good. Limitations provoke protest, inspire activism, help us stand up for our fellow planet-sharers. But I think it鈥檚 the active response, not the passive complaint, that moves us. Like the news photo last week turning a 鈥槼Σ共遭�檛-do鈥� into a 鈥榗an-do鈥�: the US border fence with a seesaw installed, children from Mexico and New Mexico playing together. The seesaw鈥檚 creator noted: 鈥淎ctions that take place on one side have a direct consequence on the other side.鈥�

Knowing our outlook can influence others, it bugs me when the Bible is seen as a restrictive rulebook. 鈥楾hou shalt not鈥� might be short and catchy, but when Jesus was asked the most important commandment, he bypassed the restrictive, for something limitless and positive: 鈥淟ove the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.鈥�

I鈥檓 still working on that. If I truly loved my neighbour, I wouldn鈥檛 have hogged the sun-beds with careful towel placement. If I truly loved God, I might not have so many questions ready for Him about the timing of hospital trips and holidays.

But from border seesaws to poolside reads, may our 鈥槼Σ共遭�檛s鈥� become 鈥榗ans鈥�, and may our 鈥榗ans鈥� be filled with beans.