This is the true story of scientific child prodigy, and former baby genius, Ainan Celeste Cawley, written by his father. It is the true story, too, of his gifted brothers and of all the Cawley family.
I write also of child prodigy and genius in general: what it is, and how it is so often neglected in the modern world. As a society, we so often fail those we should most hope to see succeed: our gifted children and the gifted adults they become.
Site Copyright: Valentine Cawley, 2006 +
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Thursday, July 01, 2010
On the brevity of life.
People tend to think of their lives as great epic novels. Sadly, however, most of us turn out to be short stories.
Well, Maria, we have had one death in the family recently - and another is impending, so that has prompted me to reflect a little more on the matter of life and death. It seems to me that the end takes some people by surprise: hence the expectation of an epic novel, but the deliverance of a short story.
Thanks for your concern. It is appreciated.
Then again, even the longest life, is brief, if truth be known: there is always so much more that could be done or said, even if a century has passed.
Thank you for your response, Valentine. I'm very sorry for your loss.
I agree with you about the fact that death takes some people by surprise. I am only young but I admit that if something was to happen to me, I wouldn't have prepared anything.
I admit that I think about the topic of death quite a lot. Honestly it scares me a little. I am not scared of dying myself even though I would like to live a long, healthy life.
I am afraid of someone dying who is very close to me. I don't want to imagine life without that person. Sometimes I imagine what life will be like without this person and I feel terrible. I don't know how I would cope. I don't want to but one day I will have to make that experience. I try not to think about that too much...
I also agree with your last statement. Even a life lasting 100 years is like a single drop in the ocean when looking at the time that has already passed, and what has been achieved.
Thanks for your heartfelt words, Maria. They are welcomed.
I hope you do not experience what you fear anytime soon. Such experiences should come, only when we are quite old and more able to cope, in some ways, through more indirect experiences.
One day, man will be ageless and effecgtively immortal. Such men will not understand how we lived and died. They will, however, probably pity us our short circumscribed existences in which there is too little time to do all that we could if we had but abundant years.
What happened, Valentine?
ReplyDelete-- Maria --
Well, Maria, we have had one death in the family recently - and another is impending, so that has prompted me to reflect a little more on the matter of life and death. It seems to me that the end takes some people by surprise: hence the expectation of an epic novel, but the deliverance of a short story.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your concern. It is appreciated.
Then again, even the longest life, is brief, if truth be known: there is always so much more that could be done or said, even if a century has passed.
Take care.
Thank you for your response, Valentine. I'm very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the fact that death takes some people by surprise. I am only young but I admit that if something was to happen to me, I wouldn't have prepared anything.
I admit that I think about the topic of death quite a lot. Honestly it scares me a little. I am not scared of dying myself even though I would like to live a long, healthy life.
I am afraid of someone dying who is very close to me. I don't want to imagine life without that person. Sometimes I imagine what life will be like without this person and I feel terrible. I don't know how I would cope. I don't want to but one day I will have to make that experience. I try not to think about that too much...
I also agree with your last statement. Even a life lasting 100 years is like a single drop in the ocean when looking at the time that has already passed, and what has been achieved.
Thanks for your heartfelt words, Maria. They are welcomed.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do not experience what you fear anytime soon. Such experiences should come, only when we are quite old and more able to cope, in some ways, through more indirect experiences.
One day, man will be ageless and effecgtively immortal. Such men will not understand how we lived and died. They will, however, probably pity us our short circumscribed existences in which there is too little time to do all that we could if we had but abundant years.
Take care, Maria.
Best wishes