This morning Facebook threw up one of those “memory photos”, as it does. According to that photo, on this date in 2014 I went out for a walk with my friend Heidy. I was wearing shorts and a lightweight hoody. Today I woke up to the sound of heavy rain. I looked out and saw that the rain was accompanied by fairly strong wind: not quite a full-blown storm but stormy enough to put me off going out for a run. It’s not often that the weather manages to put me off running but today it did. And yesterday evening we gave in and put the heating on for a while!
Not the most drastic climate change but still it feels as though the seasons have got confused this year. I must ask my son if the grapes that grow in his garden have managed to ripen; when we visited a few weeks ago he said they needed some sunshine. They’ve had some sunshine since then, but has there been enough? Similarly, the next door neighbour, who hails originally from Florida, “The Sunshine State” has expressed concern about her pumpkins. I’m not sure whether she grows them for Hallowe’en or for Thanksgiving. Last year she had a splendid crop. This year’s are growing slowly but they’ve not really had much warmth to ripen them. And with all the damp they may succomb to mildew.
I’m not sure I can complain about the climate. Complaining and protesting maybe frowned upon. Climate protestors have been on trial. I read that a judge imposed restrictions on defendants that prevented them from mentioning climate change, insulation, fuel poverty or their motivations for taking action during their trials. That sounds wrong! Trudi Warner, a retired social worker who witnessed some of the trials, sat outside Inner London crown court holding a sign that read: “Jurors: you have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.” Now she in turn is being prosecuted for contempt of court by the solicitor general.
That also sounds wrong!
Are we gradually losing the right to protest peacefully?
I’m not very likely to go on a protest march these days but I like to think I still have the right to do so.
Now, who knew that we have a Minister for Loneliness? Maybe he doesn’t have capital letters to his title, maybe it’s not really an official title but that’s how he was referred to in something I read yesterday. His name is Stuart Andrew and he has launched a loneliness awareness campaign, in partnership with with the charity Sporting Wellness, Student Radio Association, Student Roost and Student Minds. They are concerned that among the millions of teenagers across Britain who will arrive at university for the first time this week as freshers’ week begins, almost all will experience bouts of loneliness with nearly half being worried they will be judged if they admit to it. A sample of 1,000 students’ opinions was collected by YouGov for the government, so it’s all official.
Goodness! I can remember having moments of sitting alone in the students’ union building in my first days at university but I think I was more excited than actively lonely. But then, I hadn’t grown up glued to a mobile phone that gave me instant companionship. Maybe today’s freshers are mostly wimps! 25+ years ago our son decided to step out of his room in his hall of residence and introduce himself to the people who became a group of friends for life. Granddaughter Number Two tried the same strategy last year but was rather less fortunate in her flatmates and still spent a good deal of time in her room alone studying. But she did take steps to make friends. And she succeeded to some extent.
Anyway, here is the Minister for Loneliness’s 10 point plan for reducing loneliness:-
- Spend time helping other people, such as volunteering with student groups or by offering a regular conversation to someone feeling isolated
- Keep in touch with friends and family over the phone
- Arrange something fun to do with your current friends
- Join a club or society at university to connect with others who have similar interests
- Do things you enjoy, such as playing sport, reading or listening to music
- Be open to everyone, as university is a great place to meet people from all different backgrounds
- Remember some people only share the good things happening to them on social media so try and avoid comparison
- Talk to someone you trust about how you feel
- Get in touch with the university’s student services about the welfare and support it can provide
- Remember that others may be feeling similar, so you are not alone
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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