Hello again,
We are still enjoying the early spring as I write. What a joy to see – and feel – some real sunshine, to see the blossom and emerging flowers, and to see more people out and about. Even if there is cold weather in the forecast, this welcome taster is bringing hope of the summer to come.
And hope is a big word right now. For many of the brave people of Ukraine, hope may be all they have left after terrible privations – hope for their country based on faith and belief in themselves, each other and their communities. The many stories that we are hearing of courageous acts and neighbourhoods coming together just to survive are both heart-breaking and awe-inspiring.
Putin will be brought to account for his crimes eventually. We must hope that long before then he comes to realise that the only threat to his security is of his own making – born of self-isolation from any genuine interaction with or concern for others – and put a stop to this horror.
In the meantime, we can give what we can to the humanitarian appeals, give thanks for the relative peace in our own lives and appreciate our own community.
Tom, Jan and Mary