Incite or Inspire?
The new year continues apace. It is cold, it is dark, and the news swings from sobering to hopeful and straight back again. The new coronavirus variant is – as we all know – virulent. Our front line workers are fighting for all of our lives, and key workers are doing their utmost to ensure that everything – education, food supplies, waste management, etc. runs as near to normal as can be. The rest of us must stay at home, away from family and friends, to keep us all safe.
We don’t know yet for how long.
A year on from the beginning of this pandemic, we are being set a much tougher test. Hospitals are at peak capacity as the new variant – B.1.1.7. – reaches every corner of the world. A race between the vaccine and the virus is picking up pace, and we are tired.
The narrative is far from clear.
When we last faced this level of uncertainty, it was Spring, with blossom, sunshine, and the promise of better things to come.
This time, what is the story? Where is the hope?
In our fast-changing world of extremes, and amid all the loud headlines, when everything feels overwhelming, it is difficult to hold on to a narrative of hope. Saying ‘We can do this,’ can feel like another pressure.
Our words are powerful.
Being a citizen in a world where words contain so much power, we can choose words to incite anger and criticism, to vent our fears or project those fears onto others. Sometimes it feels too easy to quickly apportion blame and offer our critique. It even feels like an act of courage to choose words that show compassion and understanding, that inspire, and that can lift one another up.
Incite or inspire?
During Lockdown #1 we found it powerful to learn how to listen and actively choose to do so. Last week, the words of a five year old were the ones that inspired us. These hopeful words are all around us; we can choose to hear them and share them. Like choosing empathy, we can choose inspiration!
We’d love to hear the words you have found helpful and inspirational over this last week. Thank you.
