Thought for the Week

The word ‘change’ normally refers to new beginnings. But the mystery of transformation more often happens not when something new begins, but when something old falls apart.

We will normally do anything to keep the old things from falling apart.

Human beings are often reluctant to embrace change and we like things to remain in familiar territory.

There is a certain attitude that ‘we’ve aye done it this way, and it worked just fine’.

Over these past three months, we have all adapted to change, though not necessarily embraced it.

As constraints begin to relax, I am trying to remember exactly what it was like at the beginning of lockdown.

There was more time to ‘be’, as the roads were so much quieter; there were no appointments or meetings in the diary, and to some extent there was a sense of peace.

There was a renewed sense of ‘the other’ as we worried about neighbours and phoned or ‘distance’ called to ensure all was well.

There was a renewed sense of community as folk stood together and clapped for the heroes of these strange times.

There was a renewed sense of what was important. The worry about lockdown hairstyles paled into insignificance as deaths rose from this awful virus.

We became a better people, more focused on the things that really matter.

We really and truly counted our blessings, especially those of us who live amidst beaches and hills and unending horizons.

What will we take with us into the future from this time?

Let it be hope, let it be love, let it be patience, let it be a vision of a new and better world for all.