No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.John Donne. 1624
No idea how to live with the result of yesterday’s vote. No idea what it means for this country (by which I mean UK). No idea what it means for Europe and the wider world. No idea how to make sense of a successful campaign that showed contempt for facts, for knowledge and for experience.
Today is a much sadder day than the day before yesterday, and I am little comforted by knowing that almost half those who voted voted the same way I did. I fear our voices now count for nothing.
How to make sense of the senseless and the scary?
Take a moment to remind ourselves of the hopeful words of Jo Cox MP in her maiden speech:
…..we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us.
the magic jug 
Such despair in my heart. I weep.
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Me too. And then we have to find the courage to carry on.
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I am dismayed and horrified. I genuinely didn’t think the ‘outers’ would prevail. This campaign has been run on misinformation and bigotry. My children are horrified. I am horrified for them. It has divided our family as my parents voted to leave. No amount of discussion could persuade them to do otherwise. I probably won’t phone them for a while!
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You put it very well. I don’t think our family is divided, but maybe that’s because we are the ‘older’ generation – old enough to remember why the EU came into being in the first place, old enough to hold our parents’ memories of war and pre-welfare state, but young enough to really see what is happening to our children and their generation, and to fear for the future of any grandchildren we may have.
But still and still, however hard, we have to somehow find the way to keep up the dialogue and conversation. To listen and expect to be listened to.
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Well said. Such a worrying time ahead. 😦
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Thank you. But there is some comfort in being part of such a large ‘minority’. We have somehow to accept the views of those we disagree with, and move on. I don’t mean agree with them, but understand why they hold those views.
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I was teary-eyed when I read the news this morning. It will be a hard road ahead.
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Certainly will, both uncharted and unknowable. Scary times. But somehow we have to retain hope and positivity.
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My thoughts too Deborah. Our family of 4, including 2 sons 25 and 22 absolutely reeling here today in Yorkshire. I fear for their, and every young person’s future. How could so many people be so inward looking and in many cases downright xenophobic. I am beside myself and don’t know where we the “minority” go from here?
Sending warm wishes
Karen
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I don’t know either, but we have to find a way forward that is both positive and constructive. Somehow!
Very warm wishes back to you too.
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I’m still stunned. Thank you for this post. It’s good to know that although in a minority, we are a large minority, and that we are all feeling shock. I feel that our younger generation has been let down by an older one. My children are 23 and 20 . My daughter is doing a languages and European studies degree! She was with friends who received their finals results today. A 2:1degree felt like nothing, so great was her friend’s shock over the Referendum result. Rebecca will be living in France and Italy for a year from August, but no longer as an E. U citizen. So sad…
Penny Lxx
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The fall-out from this will take a long time to work through, so at least for her year in the EU she will still be an EU citizen.
One of the many lies peddled through the leave campaign (and sadly not challenged) was that immigration is only one way. In my family, 3 (and sometimes 4) of my 5 nephews and niece live abroad – 2 in the EU, one in Australia. All have moved at least in part to get work.
As you say, we do have to keep reminding ourselves that we are a very big minority (not much smaller than the majority). Of course we will all pay the price, but we have to find and see the opportunities in all this to bring a divided nation together again, and that requires listening and hearing the other point of view, and healing the wounds. In the meantime, we do also need to look after ourselves and each other.
Thanks for taking the trouble to comment, I so appreciate it.
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