I was at the Federal Magistrates Court this morning. My matter was the last one on the list so I just sat around and waited, and listened in on the other matters. Sometimes this can be an educational as well as entertaining exercise. There were a whole 13 of them before mine, so it was quite a harvest there.
One of these matters was a bankruptcy petition by the tax boys. The debtor was apparently an old or sick man (or both). His barrister was asking for an adjournment as he has suffered a relapse of bowel cancer and has just been admitted to the hospital. The court remarked, quite rightly, that his debt problems have probably taken a (way) back seat in view of his health problems.
Often it is a question of perspectives. I guess when you are a normal healthy person, a bankruptcy matter is a huge one. A person needs bankruptcy as much as he needs a hole in the head. When you have bowel cancer which refuses to go away though (my grandfather died within a few months after having surgery for that) – bankruptcy? Moving on…
As always, I reflected on the matter and my matter soon became less important. I could take my mind off it, let it be, and take on new perspectives.
On the way back, while in a near deserted train, I was letting my mind wander when there was suddenly a minor commotion a few seats behind me. A passenger has just been assaulted by what appears to be a mentally disturbed male passenger. I stood up, went near the victim (he was an elderly man) and stared at the perpetrator. He got off at the next stop so I let the matter be. The victim wasn’t too bad off but it was still a bit of a shock.
Later in the office, someone mentioned that a few nights ago, there was some sort of a gang fight in the Glen Waverley shopping/restaurant area. That too, is distressing, and hitherto totally unheard of. I guess again, that put things in perspectives. Life really can be very fragile …
“So, I commend the enjoyment of life.” (From the Bible – really. Eccl 8:15)
Ante 