Standing Together

Around about tea-time last night, a friend phoned to say, "Have you heard? at 8pm tonight we've to open ours door or windows, and give a round of applause for the NHS workers."

And so, at as 8pm approached I opened an upstairs window that overlooks the village of Crossford.

I could see the lights of the village, and further up to the little hamlet of Tilletudlem.

All was quiet, except for the intermittent hooting of an owl somewhere, And I thought to myself, this feel a bit strange, will it make any difference if I start to clap my hands? Will anyone hear me?

Then, at 8pm I started to hear the sound of not just an owl hooting, but the sound of folks in the village shouting and whistling and yes, the sounds of many hands clapping began to fill the night air, and so I joyfully joined in.

I felt such a surge of happiness, knowing that although we are told to keep away from others, they are still there.

And, it reminded me that we are all in this together.

It wasn't the words of a hymn that started running through my head, but the words of a Paul McCartney song from many years ago. From The Frog's Chorus.

"Win Or Lose, Sink Or Swim,

One Thing Is Certain

We'll Never Give In

Side By Side,

Hand In Hand,

We All Stand Together."

God bless you this new day,