Shortest day thoughts
What a year it’s been… A global pandemic, which has not, as British/US leaders claimed created anything like a level playing field, we know. On the contrary, divisions of gender, race and class, along with regional postcodes have made all the difference to people’s experience and survival. In the UK racism and xenophobia were already on the increase thanks to Brexiteer scaremongering these last few years; even police estimates of attacks show this. With the pandemic there is increased domestic violence.
What Black people – in America and everywhere in the world – have for years been telling white people about institutional racism and police violence finally received more media attention – it remains to be seen what real change will happen. But along with the increase of hatred – my Polish homeland introducing ‘zones’, ‘cleansed’ of LGBTQ+ people, and even further curbing women’s reproductive rights, while wrecking the judicial system and constitution – there has been a surge of rebellion, from Black Lives Matter to the Women’s Strikes with their lightning bolt symbol all over Poland, to XR protest about climate change and the earth being destroyed in the name of greed and profit. Not just the same (mostly older) people campaigning – young people, courageous and imaginative, all over the world have been leading the way and that gives me so much hope.
As we approach Winter Solstice here, the year turns and you can’t help looking back over it. I thought I’d write a lot more posts but that didn’t happen somehow – though a new book is finished. Nor did I learn a new language or develop baking skills…But in Brighton more people than usual have taken to sea swimming and I have joined in. For the first time EVER in my life I’ve swum in the sea in December – with my partner and a few dear friends!! I never thought I could do it. Yes, it is cold. And exhilarating! A wonderful relief from too much screen time, too much thinking, worrying.
I asked my partner what she hoped for in the world in 2021 and her first thought was kindness. I agree: kindness to ourselves and one another and to our environment. But without change on the global/societal level will we be saying the same things a year on? I hope not. Let’s keep swimming – and fighting any way we can.