it was a campaign to get a London borough to change a policy that had existed for over 30 year, and which the administration refused to for ideological reasons - they always required local communities to pay to use borough resources including open spaces (like the parks). It kept local taxes down, of course.
It was a long grind of 2 1/2 years inc. a petition, growing support from local politicians, etc. It was my campaign, I don’t really know how it happened I just got started and kept on.
Now we have the first fee community activity which has 400 people every Saturday running/walking 5k (3.3 miles) together, plus a whole bunch of new people coming into volunteering. Over 1500 have tried it so far, people come when they can. Eveyone gets timed and a web page.
My overall philosophy hasn’t changed much, but it has more of an element of “don’t forget to actually enjoy the life that your philosphy has given you” than it used to. Which makes sense because it took the first half of my life for my philosphies to manifest themselves as a lifestyle. Or to have made some significant progress towards doing so at any rate.
Basically at 50 you’re a lot closer to the end than the beginning so my view is not to stress about the future as I might go to bed one night and never wake up.
I learned only a few years back to not worry about things I can’t control. If I’m able to control or influence it, then do it but if not, fuck it. So that’s probably the philosophy.
Since turning 50 I’ve visited the USA twice and I intend to do some more travelling while I’m still young and fit enough to do it and am earning enough to pay for it.
So to use the bumper sticker version “Don’t take life too seriously. It’s not like it’s forever”
