Pressure pushing down on me
pressing down on you
No man ask for
Under Pressure.
If the NHS were a pressure cooker I suspect it would have popped a while ago.
I don’t see many pressure cookers nowadays. I remember my mum used to have one back in the 80’s. It was a heavy, freckled, stainless steel pot that locked and had a weighted whistle that would blow when whatever was cooking was ready; I can see in my mind’s eye the steam shooting out the side as mum in apron tended cooking, baking, household chores and keeping an eye on me.
If the NHS were a pressure cooker it would have burst by now. Like a crazy, stretched-out, incendiary bomb, a tired flame-dragon wheezing and popping. Such a shame. So unnecessary. Such an incredible, unimaginable act of good, the NHS; but how much can it take?
Moving from cookery to Star Trek – the engine can only cope with so many jumps, keep pushing the components, the scanners, analysers, nurses, doctors, therapists, and there is a point at which no more can be gained; the horse still shows up in the morning but it no longer whinnies, it no longer pulls the extra load; just accepts the beating, ignoring the pain.
I think of the dream from Crime and Punishment when the nag is being flayed; beaten; it can give no more, yet the owner continues to batter and punch, continues to shout and scream and demand from a creature that is already spent. How much more whipping, beating, berating, bullying, tormenting, can we accept before we succumb to the inevitable, before we give-up. And what follows? Where do we go when we have run-out of places to hide? When, we, in our heart know that we should keep going, keep toiling in the face of the fire, but our limbs will no longer drag us forwards.
As for the alternatives. Candide.
We are living in the best of best possible worlds, universes or existences. There are no more conceivable options or opportunities open to us, we are at the helm of the most incredible organisation ever created; we are at the bridge, watching, and we are privy to the fantastical reality that is the cooperative, collaborative, engaging, listening, respecting, sensing system in which we operate.
Let’s keep going a little longer.
If you close your eyes it might not happen.
Dr Rod’s Odd Blog (almondemotion) 