My heart felt that clutch of fear this morning as I turned on my phone to see that, by a tiny margin, we had left Europe; that our population had decided, in majority, to step away from our larger community.
I felt that brief panic of insecurity, scared for the future of my family. And then I breathed. And I remembered. There is always a gift.
In the darkest of days, there is always a light that starts as a faint glimmer, sometimes almost imperceptible, but it’s there; and it will get stronger and brighter because light always wins. Always.
So I reflected a little on why we have hit this point in our history together. Why we have chosen separatism over community. What I see is that we are divided in our country, that my friends and community all wanted to stay in Europe, that I barely knew anyone who wanted to leave and yet more than 50% of my country wanted this and I don’t know them. I am isolated in my existence by surrounding myself by only those whose thoughts and beliefs predominantly align with mine.
Here in lies the problem. If I want community, I need to reach out, to cross the borders that alienate, to find the common ground. It is easy for me to feel that my liberal views are inclusive but not if they are making other people’s views wrong.
So what is the gift of today for our country? To spend time seeking out those that we fear, that represent our darkest anxieties and our repressed shadows and find a way to love them, find a way to create a real community, rich in the diversity of thoughts and feelings. Only then can we manifest the global community that we crave, only when our own back yard is in order, when the fences are down and the feasting between neighbours commences, then we truly claim our liberal and loving titles.
We are a country built on legends not least that of George and the Dragon. It is time that we slay our metaphorical dragon, that of fear. Rise up Knights (of all genders!), rise up and face the challenges ahead by conquering our demons within and without.
Love and Light ALWAYS shine the brightest in the end.