Hope

Some of this week has been emotionally tough for me. As a result of the blog I wrote about bullying and teasing I've received several private emails from people who experienced bullying, from parents of kids who are presently being bullied, from former bullies now repentant. I'm working through them all, answering each to the best of my ability. However reading about kids in school, right now, being teased and bullied, touches me deep down inside. I don't know how those kids feel, but I know how I felt. Alone. Completely and utterly alone. Even though I had love in my life - that love just didn't seem to be a big enough umbrella to stand under, to take shelter in. Several times I left the computer with tears in my eyes.

Saturday, Joe and I went to the movie theatre to see a live BBC broadcast of 'Last night of the Proms'. I go to these things partly because I enjoy them but mostly because Joe loves them. It's wonderful to be able to arrange to take him to see shows like this. Left to his own devises, he'd never get there, probably not even know that they were happening. We each have our role in this relationship of ours, this is mine. And I love doing it.

We arrived at the theatre and were surprised to see a goodly number of the seats filled and then we sat back to experience the three and a half hour broadcast. It was wonderful and fun. The atmosphere of the Royal Albert Hall came through to our theatre here in Toronto. At various points we all forgot that we weren't actually physically there. We clapped as if the choir could hear us! Flags waved in our audience as they waved in the hall. It was a truly joyous experience.

Then the BBC aimed to try something new. At the same time as the concert was being broadcast from the Hall, there were concerts with thousands of people attending in halls and parks all over Britain, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland. The goal was to create, along with us in theatres in Canada, the US of A, South Africa and China, the world's largest choir. The song we were going to sing was 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. I've put a version at the top of this post. The version here is not at all the version we sang, but the one I picked has the virtue of displaying the words and I really wanted you to see the lyrics.

Suddenly the song began and the camera went from location to location showing people standing and singing in halls and parks, some holding hands, some embracing, others with tears running down their cheeks. Then the singing started around me. The man behind me had a lovely strong voice and he sung with conviction. I sat there, crying.

With Hope In Your Heart, You'll Never Walk Alone.

With Hope.

Hope that kids, all over the world, who are being teased, will feel all of us with them. All of us loving them. All of us supporting them. Hope that those kids being teased will show courage and endurance. That they will know their own worth and wrap themselves in their self esteem. Hope that they will grow into adults full of compassion with the ability to feel compassion and the courage to feel empathy. That they will have Hope in their heart. Cause then ...

they'll never walk alone.