In One Tiny Corner of the World

 Hello Everyone, I know it has been a LONG time since I last wrote a post but to be honest, it's been very difficult to feel it was worth writing about my own life when so much is happening in the wider world. As regular readers will know, I very rarely discuss politics (and I'm not going to start now) but there's no way of pretending that everything is going well. Wars being started by old men for no obvious reason, children across the world suffering and living in fear...it's hard to be optimistic, isn't it?

As someone who spends their time writing fiction, I would find it impossible to create so many dismal plotlines that are all happening at the same time, none of which might end well! But even in the face of such wanton destruction, I think we have to believe things will get better and instead of the news being filled with impending doom, a little light will start to shine again.

Now, I cannot pretend to understand what possible motivation there can be for recklessly bombing another nation because, let's face it, the targets that are hit are so rarely the source of the problem. As always, it's not the leaders who are at risk, it's those people who are just like us, who don't know if they will still have a home in the morning- or even worse, if they will survive at all! And yes, they are like us! Regardless of any perceived differences, be those skin colour, religious belief or anything else. I guarantee that whatever part of the world you might happen to visit, you will find families wanting to keep their children safe and well- not a lot to ask really, is it?

I completely accept there are issues between different cultures but there has to be a better way to reach some kind of agreement, than choosing to destroy every building, to reduce every city to a pile of rubble because I cannot understand how this means anyone actually 'won.'

Now, it's true, I don't like conflict, I would much prefer to live in a peaceful world, where people accept, that not everyone does things the same way, but they still warrant basic respect. That you don't have to understand their language, their belief system etc, you can just allow them to live their lives in peace and focus on making your own little corner of the world as safe as possible.

I do wonder if there is so much conflict in the world because the leaders are predominantly men who will frequently suggest that women should never be in charge because they're allegedly 'too emotional.' Yet these same men will continually express how 'tough' they are and be surprisingly sensitive when their egos get bruised. There's also something very disturbing about how certain government officials talk about war, as if they're playing some kind of video game and they're playing the hard-bitten military leader character who chews on a cigar while barking orders. Would a woman behave that way? Possibly but it does feel unlikely.

But if we can put all the world's troubles to one side, you might be kind enough to wonder how things are in my little corner. Well, it's not been an easy time really. I'm not the most patient person and yet I find myself having to wait for a number of things to happen before life can really get started again. So, it's been weeks of checking for emails, waiting for mail etc I try and start each day, hoping for news but as time passes, it's hard to ignore that sinking feeling that kicks in by late afternoon. As Annie would say 'the sun'll come out tomorrow' but it would be good if it could come today.

Anyway, that's probably more than enough from me, so as always, I will be hoping you can all stay safe and well, that we will see that light sooner rather than later and the world will feel like it can move forward in peace...until the next time...

Take very good care xx