Humanist thought for the day on Aithris na Maidne

July 15, 2016

Our Charity

This morning Humanist Society Scotland celebrant John Howieson delivered a ‘Smuain na Maidne’ (Thought for the Day) on the BBC Gaelic Radio station, Rèidio nan Gàidheal.

You can read the English translation, and the original Gaelic below. We will upload copies of the audio as soon as they are available.

This is part of a week-long series featuring John Howieson, you can access all of them here.

Friday 15 July, 8.27am:

Good morning to you all!

Humanists like myself believe that we have only one life, and so we should spend our life in a way that will bring fulfilment to us. This means different things to each individual, but obviously happiness is important, and as many people say, the best way to be happy is to bring happiness to others.

This is what Humanists try to do. We bring happiness to the thousands of couples whom we marry; we bring comfort to many families through our funerals; we are involved in political initiatives – for example, we have representation on the government working group looking at poverty and funerals; and we’re also involved in practical matters such as delivering soup and other food to the homeless in Glasgow.

Why don’t you take a look at our website – just google Humanist Society of Scotland? Maybe you’re a Humanist too.

I’ll finish with beautiful, meaningful words by Calum and Ruairidh MacDonald, using the sea as an image for life. “We’re all on the ocean, steering a course through our life, sailing a dark boat lost in the grip of the sea. The wind is behind us, the boat is going with it, and neither the time nor the ocean makes sense to us. The sea is calm, it’s fierce, it’s wide, it’s beautiful, it’s vindictive and deep. Oh, but we are blind and we have only one life. Hoist the sail, pick up the oar and we’ll get going.”

Thanks for listening. Have a good day.

Dihaoine 15 An t-Iuchar, 8.27am:

Madainn mhath dhuibh uile.

Tha daonnairean mar mi-fhìn a’ creidsinn nach eil ach aon bheatha againn, agus mar sin gum bu chòir dhuinn ar beatha a chaitheamh ann an dòigh a bhios a’ toirt comh-lìonadh dhuinn. Bidh seo a’ ciallachadh rudan eadar-dhealaichte do gach duine fa-leth, ach gu follaiseach, ‘s ann cudromach a tha toileachas, agus mar a tha iomadh duine ag ràdh, an dòigh as fheàrr a bhith toilichte ‘s e a bhith a’ toirt toileachas do dhaoine eile.

‘S e seo a bhios daonnairean a’ feuchainn. Bidh sinn a’ toirt tlachd dha na mìltean de chàraidean a bhios sinn a’ pòsadh; bidh sinn a’ toirt furtachd do dh’iomadh teaghlach tro ar seirbheisean tiodhlacaidh; tha sinn an sàs ann an iomairtean poileataigeach – mar eisimpleir, tha riochdaire againn air buidhean-obrach an riaghaltais a tha a’ coimhead air bochdainn agus tiodhlacaidhean; agus tha sinn an sàs cuideachd ann an gnìomhachasan practaigeach, mar eisimpleir a’ toirt brot agus biadh eile do luchd gun dachaigh ann an Glaschu.

Nach toir sibh sùil air ar làrach-lìnn – dìreach google Humanist Society Scotland. ‘S dòcha gur e daonnaire a th’ annaibhse cuideachd.

Cuiridh mi crìoch le faclan brèagha agus brìghmhor a rinn Calum is Ruairidh Dòmhnallach, is iad a’ cleachdadh na mara mar ìomhaigh airson na beatha.
Tha sinn uile air cuan
Stiùireadh cuairt tro ar beatha
A’ seòladh geòla dhorch
Air chall an grèim na mara.
Tha a’ ghaoth air ar cùl
Tha a’ gheòla a’ cumail roimhpe
‘S cha dèan uair no an cuan
Toinisg dhuinn no rian.
A’ mhuir, tha i ciùin
Tha i fiadhaich, tha i farsainn
Tha i àlainn, tha i dìomhair
Tha i gamhlasach is domhainn.
O, ach sinn, tha sinn dall
‘S chan eil againn ach beatha
Tog an seòl, tog an ràmh
Gus am faigh sinn astar ann.
Tapadh leibh airson èisteachd. Là math dhuibh.