Saturday 20 September 2014

A new life at its term?

Proudly holding my Women for Independence Mug and stroking Cara.

What a few days this has been in my homeland. As most of you will know, I supported Yes for a chance to create a better form of social justice in our land, in particular one that ensured every voice counted. Well time will tell what the promise of new powers will deliver and if that will ensure we can build a more just and equal society. But we have shone a light on democracy and illustrated that social movements can emerge and create change. 
Recently a friend said that social movements rarely create the thing they set out to do but they do create change. Let's hope so. I have loved being part of this social movement and I will continue to do all I can for more socially just, equal and importantly to me, heartful community in all my life and work. I'm especially fortunate to have the opportunity to do that. It's been an honour to meet so many  passionate people dedicated to improving things for everyone. It gives me such hope for the future. I was one of the 45% as the movement is describing itself, but I feel no need to define myself as that. I would rather work into the future, for the wellbeing of all in our communities and our nation, however they want to define that.
For now I will dry my tears and plan how I can align all my life and work to work toward what I believe in. I will keep you posted! Thanks so much to all of you in Scotland who have got us to this next step, the work continues, there is so much to be proud of and I'm so honoured to have been part of the journey.
 I leave you with the very wonderful Seamus Heaney. A friend reminded me of his quote about poetry and music being food for the soul. As poetry, music and song have been a key part of this very wonderful social movement, this feels right.

Human beings suffer,
They torture one another,
They get hurt and get hard.
No poem or play or song
Can fully right a wrong
Inflicted and endured.

The innocent in gaols
Beat on their bars together.
A hunger-striker's father
Stands in the graveyard dumb.
The police widow in veils
Faints at the funeral home.

History says, don't hope
On this side of the grave.
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme.

So hope for a great sea-change
On the far side of revenge.
Believe that further shore
Is reachable from here.
Believe in miracle
And cures and healing wells.

Call miracle self-healing:
The utter, self-revealing
Double-take of feeling.
If there's fire on the mountain
Or lightning and storm
And a god speaks from the sky

That means someone is hearing
The outcry and the birth-cry
Of new life at its term.” 

2 comments:

  1. dear Audrey,

    I so admire your determination and heartfelt gratitude to continue to carry on with your work and keep the social movement alive, to foster an equal and just society and focus on what progress has been made. your deeply felt beliefs and the abiding hope in being able to move forward to assure inclusiveness, to look beyond disappointment and forge ahead to build upon what you and the people you are working with have already accomplished is so inspiring. the seamus Heaney poem is so fitting, "...that means someone is hearing the outcry and the birth-cry of new life at its term.". do all you are able to re-fortify yourself, to take good care of you, and know that you have done your very best, and that this community surrounds you with love and holds you in a shiny light of hope.

    much love,

    Karen xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your encouragement and understanding as always Karen. xoxo

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