Anthea Turner How I See It...

Hello,

I always sit for a moment before writing to you, having a quiet listen to my head. It buzzes around at a rate of knots, running through my never-ending lists, The To Do List, The Shopping List, The Birthday List, The Who I Need to Catch Up With

List, The Forward Planning List which includes diary dates. But in this clatter of head noise, only one thought is viscerally shouting above the rest and it’s this: I have never felt so genuinely, and I mean genuinely, grateful for all the things I have previously taken for granted.

Do I normally give a moment’s thought to my freedoms? No, but in these last few weeks, having witnessed the atrocities taking place in Ukraine, the word “cherish” is at the front of my mind. Even mopping the floor this morning – something I normally do through gritted teeth because “someone” with dirty feet or paws hasn’t wiped their feet – all I could think of was how much would those women shielding from the bombs in underground shelters, or the ones sitting in a refugee camps in a country that’s not theirs, clutching all they have in a carrier bag, would give to be home surrounded by the very basic trappings of normality.

We can’t change the world, but we can change the way we view ours, so let’s savour and be grateful for our freedoms, our relative safety, our democracy, let’s pick our battles, and not let the unimportant things grind us down.

WE ALL WANT TO HELP Spring is here and with true mindfulness of all political refugees around the world we have a duty in their name to totally savour and enjoy what we are so lucky to have.

The people of Ukraine have tragically lost their options, but we are blessed to still have them so, whether its Mother’s Day or Easter, put your best foot forward and embrace all the things we have to look forward to. I honestly believe if any good is to come of this catastrophe it’s a recalibration of our collective consciousness to be kinder to others.

Helping is good for the soul and it’s a natural human reaction when we see another in trouble. I looked around and picked

The British Red Cross to support, a tremendously effective organisation who have been alleviating humanitarian disasters for 150 years.

Their work in emergency response is targeted, highly efficient and every penny is used wisely.

Love, Anthea X