Merseyside to Manhattan

 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

I once read a sign in Liverpool City Centre, it said -  "Merseyside to Manhattan". It smacked of the days when great liners regularly left the Mersey for the New World. In May 2015, three liners arrived in the Mersey, giving us all a sight of their grandeur and a glimpse of 'bygone days' or maybe pleasant memories if you have been privileged to cruise in one of them! The right spot provided good views of "The Three Queens" as they visited the Mersey on this historic occasion. The best vistas were often from the Wirral Peninsula side of the Mersey, but Liverpool Waterfront also provided an excellent canvas on which to see some great views from time to time!

There are some experiences that are only once in a lifetime. The 175th Anniversary of the commencement of the Cunard Line and the arrival on the Mersey of these magnificent ships may fall into this category. Some feel the urge to be part of the celebration and to live history by stepping aboard one of Cunard's iconic ships and sailing away on an anniversary cruise. For the most, that is not an option, but it's great for those who can!

The phrase - "once in a lifetime" still has some significance. It evokes thoughts of exciting things that we would love to do. The chances of them happening are so unlikely that if they did, you would only ever get a one-off chance to do it. What would you choose?

Without appearing too serious, there are two "once in a lifetime" experiences that are the bookends of human existence, i.e. birth and death.  The former you have no control over, and the latter is out of your control unless, of course, you choose to forcefully end your life. We all know that this happens from time to time when life becomes unbearable for some individuals, but it's not normal. The question we need to consider is - are our deaths just random events, or is there a higher power in control? 

The Bible makes high claims in this respect; let me quote a few bible statements to you and leave you to mull this information over.

1. The God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honoured - Daniel 5:23

2. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him - Hebrews 9:27,28

Please make preparation for that once-in-a-lifetime event!