reflection for the east lothian courier, 21 april 2022

Together with colleagues from across East Lothian, Anikó takes regular turns in offering a reflection in the East Lothian Courier. Here is this week's piece:

There is so much happening in the world that we would all be forgiven for feeling somewhat overwhelmed - the Ukraine war, which fills us with horror and helplessness. We are only beginning to recover from the pandemic, not quite sure yet what is safe to do and what is not. We all know people living with illness and frailty, or perhaps are facing those ourselves. There are economic pressures, and an ever-widening gap between rich and poor. There’s climate change, and knowing that we are leaving the world to our children in a much worse state.
 
It all sounds bleak, doesn’t it? And yet, we have to go on living our daily lives, with all the small daily dramas, and all the small daily joys, with making plans and having adventures. It can feel wrong to smile and be happy about meeting friends, or watching children play, or whatever else, while we know that other people, and not very far from us, are suffering. Still, we can’t feel guilty about it. Indeed, do we not need the smiles and the happiness, in order to give us the strength to carry on, to face the challenges, and to find the hope and the courage to stand up for a better, kinder, fairer world?
 
It can be difficult to hold the tension created by the simultaneousness of so many things in our lives. When we celebrated Easter last Sunday, we commemorated that age-old promise that light can overcome darkness, and love can overcome hatred and indifference. Easter, celebrated in spring time when new life appears all around us after the bleakness and barrenness of winter, honours this new life and new hope.
 
What does it mean for us then that Christ is risen, that life has overcome death? Does it mean that we’re missing our loved ones who have passed away any less? No, of course not, but it means that they live on in the love that we have for them, and in all they meant to us and all they taught us. Does it mean that the world is in any less desperate state? No, the pain and injustice are still happening, but they don’t go unchallenged.
 
New life is possible, new beginnings are possible, if we find the courage, strength and trust to stand up and fight for life, for justice, love and hope.