The human life cycle is a strange beast that can be thrown off course by myriad factors along the way from good luck to chance meetings and unexpected times of adversity. All things being equal though it is believed that our life cycle — from the moment we are born until the moment we die — falls into seven-year cycles, with new phases occurring from ages one to seven, seven to 14, 14 to 21, 21 to 28, 28 to 35, and so on. When you think about it and apply these religious/spiritually driven beliefs to your own life, you may very well find they ring true. At age 21 you may have been a completely different person to what and who you are now, or perhaps, at age 34 or 49 this year, you are experiencing a certain restlessness that is difficult to explain, but harder again to deny. Whatever the reason, you are driven to begin another new phase in your life — this time perhaps in a completely different direction.
As well as the seven-year cycles, shorter two-year cycles also tend to test our patience, particularly in relation to careers and jobs so that, after 24 months or so in one state, people get itchy feet and start looking outside the box again, wondering is there more. Equally in relationships it seems the two-year itch element is well proven, with many couples splitting up around this point once familiarity turns to contempt. That is not to say that all relationships are doomed after just 24 months, but simply refers to the unspoken rule that if either party fails to pull up his or her socks and stay interesting and excited about life after this point, he/she may just find him/herself dumped on the scrapheap.
The good people of Offaly are complaining this week that the media is to blame for the continuing saga over the Taoiseach’s dismal radio performance, with many calling for Brian Cowen to be ‘given a break’. It is only natural that native folk row in behind their man and look to outsiders to blame his bad luck on, but sadly for Mr Cowen — and indeed the whole of Ireland — we are now at the two-year stage of our current recession and nothing seems to be getting better. In fact, it could be argued this week that apart from the very odd utterance of high hopes by some political leaders and economic analysts, the mood in this country has been one of pure misery since 2008. With Christmas fast approaching and its implication of merriment forcing us to think happy again, people have had enough. The thing is, we are browned off being fed up.
So it is that Brian Cowen is not just the butt of his own drink-in joke but is also having to take the flak from a people utterly frustrated after waiting two full years for inspiring, hope-filled, leadership — to no avail. With Irish citizens now literally at breaking point, something has to give — soon — and even if most of the fuss seems to have died down for now, the highest office in the country remains the sitting target.
Yonder in the United States President Barack Obama, now 18 months into office, is also sprinting towards the end of his honeymoon period as the people turn on him and his promises for ‘change’ which are not delivering for the better. Overall this is making for a very unsettling time and all that is needed now is one final straw, which will inevitably come soon.
Be prepared for the real dramas to begin any day now.
Joan Geraghty
Acting Editor [email protected]
