Rainbows and Hope

Rainbows and Hope.  Rainbows have always been a symbol of hope, and I took this photograph at the weekend, just after my friend had said, “It’s impossible to take a good photograph of a rainbow.”

We now have a new MP for Horsham, and Sussex Green Living is pleased to have an MP representing Horsham who is an environmental champion. In his acceptance speech, John Milne acknowledged that we need cooperation, not conflict, to be able to create a better place, a better world. If we recognise that everything is interlinked, we can see shining examples in every direction. If we are calmer, we are healthier; strong ecology boosts the economy; if we understand climate and chemicals we can produce food; a circular economy is healthier for all of us living beings.

London holds the unenviable reputation as the corruption capital of the world, but there is hope as more people come together to help us re-balance our hearts and minds, our economy, our natural world.

A visit at the weekend to our friends in Wiltshire was inspiring. We walked through meadows, fields filled with a huge variety of wildflowers and learned their names. “Knapweed? Why call it a weed?” My husband said. “It should be renamed knap-flower!”

He’s right. So much lies in our everyday language, and we could all move gently towards a language of hope by swapping out words such as, ‘must, always, never’ for the softer, (and usually more accurate) words, ‘could, often, rarely’. Change ‘impossible’ to ‘possible’, ‘won’t’ to ‘might’ and our attitude becomes more optimistic and positive.

Many people I spoke with recently felt that their small voice would never make any difference, but we know that the way to success is simply to keep going. We may need to change paths, change direction, but the journey is with hope and kindness.

We can take a lesson from Noah and Leah who led people to safety, taking with them animals two at a time.
Are we doing the same? I saw hares in Wiltshire, Purple Emperor and Silver Studded Blue butterflies in the South Downs National Park, and nightingales at Knepp.

If Leah and Noah could do it with a wooden boat, surely there is hope for us all now with universities and artificial intelligence to help us; seeing tech and laws not as bullying masters but as excellent tools – under-pinning it all with faith in human nature and allowing ourselves to be open-minded, uplifted by rainbows, but being alert and mindfully aware of those who promise unicorns!

Come and enjoy a cuppa and cake with us at the Sussex Green Hub** on the last Saturday of each month in the United Reformed Church in Springfield Road, Horsham. The community fridge is open to all at 10am. We’d love to see you!

 

 

 

By Morag Warrack

** The next Sussex Green Hub is on Saturday 27th July, 10am-2.30pm.