Secular Church

What would you include in a secular 'Church'? Do you think it is possible? I often walk past the beautiful old churches in the UK, which is a progressively less religious country, and think how great it would be if these buildings still acted as 'third places'. Not work. Not home. Most of the people in my world either are religious or were religious. At least culturally. Much of the traditions, celebrations, and glue that hold the community together come from a shared story. My beef with one story being 'true' or not, is the division it causes when disagreement comes along. If Church/Temple/Mosque simply meant, 'what is the story that binds us all', then perhaps we can start to build more festivals, feasts, and traditions that reintroduce community. That find common ground.

Community

Camaraderie, Concern and Mateship

One of the lasting impressions of my recent trip down under were the RSLs. The 'Returned & Services League' was formed 'as a direct result of the camaraderie, concern and mateship shown by the "Diggers" for the welfare of their mates during and after the 1914-1918 War.' For an outsider coming in now, it is a network of pretty awesome third places. If you live close by, you have to be a member to come in. Otherwise you have to sign in as a guest. My introduction was when I was looking for a place to watch the thing of which we do not speak. Aus only became a federation in 1901 and so the First World War was very much a part of their nation building. I was also there for Anzac day where they marched, finishing up at the RSL.

The Anzac Day march finishing at the RSL

Aussie & Kiwi soldiers were known as Diggers

As a separate thing, I have been reading 'The Fall of the Ottomans' to try get an understanding of the background to the Middle East chaos. Interestingly it turns out to be written by someone who was going to Gallipoli along with three generations 'lest we forget'. In walking to the site where his young great uncle had lost his life, Eugene Rogan stumbled across the memorial to Turkish soldiers. The tremendous loss of life on the other side, not often spoken of, lead him to try and understand what had happened on the other side.

I am a third of the way through the book and it is very 'Game of Thrones'y. It also makes the history that I did at school a little more relevant. We studied World (mainly the wars) and South African history, but you know what it is like at school. 'Mam, why does this matter?'. 'Sir, when am I ever going to need to know this?'. The challenge for teachers is creating context. With the recent Independence Referendum in Scotland, it suddenly becomes meaningful to see that the same vote in South Africa was only in 1960 and was only a 52% Yes result. My parents were then roughly the same age as I was when the new South Africa was born. The South African Republic was an independent country from 1852-1902. 50 years. Even the Zulu Empire had only started forming 1816-1828, not long before that. South Africa was a Union from 1910-1960. Just 50 years. It was a white only voting republic till 1994. Just 34 years. The new South Africa is just 21 years old. All this stuff changes very quickly and borders seem very random.

Another part of 'The Fall of the Ottomans' that was interesting was just how keen everyone was to get involved in the First World War. Many Aussies and Kiwis had 'helped out' in winning the Second Boer War for Britain. That war wasn't fought in trenches. It was won through the invention of concentration camps and the scorched earth policy of burning farms to stop the successful guerilla tactics of the First Boer War. So many Anzacs had heard tales of adventures to Africa with more Brits dying from disease than in battle. They weren't expecting the brutality of vast loss of life with industrialised warfare. They just wanted to see the world.

Although formed on the back of a war, the idea of 'Third Places' being the source of camaraderie, concern and mateship seems a very appealing model. Borders are random. Friendships are not.

Warm and Fuzzy

It is a long time since I have been in one place long enough to have a pet. I am just coming to the end of a second stint of pet sitting. The little dude I have been keeping company rocks. 

Despite knowing that pets can contribute hugely to happiness, it seems there are a few basic requirements that have to fall in place first. You can't really be wandering around too much. My family had a dog named Milligan. After Spike. Whenever we went on holiday and had to leave him at the kennel, we would come back with him having lost a bunch of weight. Besides the cost, the guilt with the poor guy not knowing when we were coming back wasn't great. If you have a great support network, then presumably the dogs can stay with someone they know. I have spoken about the advantages of communities in terms of meals and helping with kids. Pets would be another tick. If you live in an area or arrangement where the pet is effectively shared, then you wouldn't have to worry about flexibility.

A friend of mine absolutely loves pets but for all the reasons above, hasn't been able to get one. When talking about shared spaces, we were trying to think of how you could introduce pets. There are plenty of pets at RSPCAs in need of attention, often from people who underestimate the commitment. Perhaps a little sharing would help.

Once all the pieces fall in place, the simple affection you get is rather intoxicating. Whatever your choice of company. Some go for the big dogs who they can run with. Some go for the little dogs who look at the leash with a smirk. Whether a pet or a person, the unquestionable knowledge that your company is appreciated is warm and fuzzy.

Cats and Dogs

I am spending three weeks petsitting. Pets have been noticeably absent from any of my blog posts, despite the theme being happiness. How can I defend their absence? I write on so many things that I have absolutely no clue about. Hence my regular pleas for guest blog posts. I have two Vets I am working on. But there is a balance between asking someone and becoming a mosquito. 

I had a wonderful dog growing up. I believe Milligan was a cross between a fox terrier and a poodle, but I don't think anyone knew for sure. He was awesome. I have a wonderful photo of the two of us sleeping next together when I was a little guy. He always seemed to know when you were ill and would sleep next to the couch or your bed. Like Mother Bears porridge, he was neither too big nor too small. Just right. I have to admit to struggling with yappy dogs, slobbery dogs or jumpy dogs.

As for cats. We had a couple. One named Tut, who we all loved dearly but had an unfortunate run in with our neighbourhood Pit Bull Terrier (unsurprisingly #1 on the first list of danger dogs I googled). The second had a few names - Fat Cat stuck best. Unfortunately Fat Cat soured my Man-Cat relations and was grumpy in the kind of way that doesn't make you millions of dollars.

Grumpy Cat has made way more money than you

My project for the next three weeks is to keep two dogs and two cats happy and healthy till their loving owners return. Maybe it will give me some more insight into animals and my own happiness. It has been a long time since Milligan left my world. The main handbrake for me has always been the fact that I been wandering the globe. I am also a little hesitant of messy pets turning my home into a zoo. It seems you have to be in one place and you have to live in a big house with a big garden to do pets justice.

Perhaps the co-housing model of the Danes would help solve that? You get less of the wasted space of one family living in a huge house, and you get enough people around so that you can go on holiday or travel without concern. I also like the idea of pets at Third Places. The well trained sort would make great additions to schools, hospitals, coffee shops, and even libraries (read a book, stroke a cat).

I know there are lots of dog and cat people out there. Anyone want to do a better job than me at stating the case for pets and happiness?