Citizen of the World

What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?

My structure to the meaning of my nationality has changed. This has nothing to do with The UK being being multi racial, and I feel that many people the world over will relate to this.

The change relates directly to spiritual living.

For a long time I’ve despaired of the deterioration of society. The lack of compassion for others. All forms of prejudice and violence. The corporate theft of 50 years of your life.

Thanks to my life’s training I feel far more of a citizen of the world and sibling to all. Ignoring the rotten eggs that every family has. I know thar under the skin we are all soul, which is energy without colour, gender, or appearance. We’re gift wrapped, walking rainbows, made of atoms.

Previously I had a strong national identity. Not vis-vis being British as anything special, it’s just a name. My identity came from my childhood.

A nation in shock after the Second World War, walking past bomb sites acting as very clear reminders. We were a mainly decent nation. We had some crime, obviously, but the majority of us had a sense of decency and honour. Respect for others. Gratitude simply for being alive whilst mourning millions.

There was no race or gender discrimination in my house, my mum’s great uncle was gay but he was just Uncle John. Dad had gay friends. No one cared as long as they were safe and unmolested.

My parents were grateful to the Windrush generation for coming over to help fill jobs. We needed the help, and at least we were offering – they thought – a better life. Giving something back. They thought we were providing a nice place to live.

Modern deterioration

If I could eradicate one decade from history it would be the 1960’s – apologies to all late 50/60 year olds. You’d be younger though 🤣.

Even as a child I knew, with that funny knowing I’ve always had, that free love, casual drugs, and anarchy, were not going to make this world a better place. I could throttle the Beatles quite frankly, and the Labour government who told young children in the 1970s that their parents weren’t allowed to smack them, stop then going out if they wanted to, and they should call the police.

My brother, and unbeknown to us for several years, also my young cousin, came home full of their rights. Which was when everyone else around them stopped having any rights.

Both sets of parents lost control and my brother and cousin paid for it. They both had much harder lives than me because they had no solid ground to grow from. I grew from that era of shock, where we’d been bombed into knowing the value of having anyone left in your life. The value of strangers. The value of life.

They were too young not to accept guidance, and one in particular was hurt in terrible ways that are only too horrifically common now, where they would have been far less likely to suffer the same fate had they been born 7 short years earlier. No one could advise them.

You may say that my generation knew they were lucky to have each other, whereas to the next we were the embodiment of a threat to a free will they were too young to understand.

Straws and camels

I’m sure that many people the world over have seen their national and cultural identity change out of all recognition over the last 50 years or so. They too despair for the future. But two things really left me rootless, we’re it not for spiritual thinking I would have been wondering exactly where I belonged.

Windrush

I knew that our society was in a mess but until I watched a documentary on Windrush I had never felt completely and utterly disgusted. Not with our people but with the powers that I thought we’re at least still relatively decent.

That documentary, what they’ve been through, here! In a country that owes them so much! I reviewed what it meant to be English that night. I would like to hold the hands of every single person and apologise to them, let them know that this does matter. More than I have words to express.

Let me clarify one thing though, away from those in power this is still a largely decent country. We only hear about the bad things, but in truth there are millions of multicultural people getting along every day, working together, inter-mingling and creating new and beautiful skin colours – or gift wrap. I’m sure that’s true of many countries in this world.

Our problems are a combination of those who have, or take power, in one way or another, and the criminal element. I’m so glad our monarchs understand that they’re here to serve, something our King made crystal clear.

Which brings me to my last problem. We all try to be compassionate of others, to empathise and understand, but truly consonants people also know that the only way you understand anything is through personal experience.

The night before last a criminal walked casually around our neighbourhood, unbothered by security cameras, trying our car doors. The police were called, but obviously they’ve got bigger problems.

It was the first time I’ve known this had happened thanks to the camera, so the first time I’ve started to fully understand at a visceral level how vulnerable decent people are. How unprotected. Knowledge and feeling truth are quite different.

You may think I’ve lived in a bubble, yes and no. I’m aware of my blessings, grateful to them, and do what I can with them. I’ve also had my issues. But I’m honest enough to know that with experience comes true understanding. This may be a small experience thank God and all the angels on behalf of us and all my lovely neighbours, but it has its value.

Turning this around

Somehow we/all decent people need to start building a better international society. It’s up to us to be the change we want to see. I don’t know how we reach across the seas and oceans, the world seems to be imploding. Including so-called first world countries.

Just speak out if you can, do what you can, I don’t think we’ve ever been more important.

To peace, safety, security, wellbeing, and respect for all (including animals)

Deb xx