Happy New Year 2026 …

 

I still can't quite believe … 2026 … where did that come from … I was only seven 'a few years ago'!!

An 1880s
New Year salutation

Still onward and upwards … 2025's health challenges have to be put back in their place in 2026 … somehow – we shall see … life continues and is interesting – albeit quieter as the years tick by … thankfully 'you encouraging lot' are here … cheering me/ us all on …

Gerrard Winstanley's quote from 1649 seemed to ring rather too true today – from nearly five hundred years ago …

"Was the earth made

to preserve a few

covetous, proud

men to live at ease;

or was it made to

preserve all her

children?”

Gerrard Winstanley (1609 – 1676) – Political Philosopher amongst his other talents and ideals … I call upon us all to ...

Think,

read, and seriously ponder between the lines,

concentrate on the quieter words,

no need for division … I like marmite – I know many don't – but I'll be happy for you with your vegemite!!

2025 was not the easiest of years for most people in this world … 2026 doesn't portend well …

Let's do all we can to help others in all ways … so many far worse off than we are … 'doing good does us good' …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Miscarriage of Justice ...

 

Free Chol Soo Lee – an American documentary film released late last year – has just been screened by our Film Society … how evocative, while being informative, it was … quite, quite extraordinary …

The Towner's guide review is as follows:

Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s intelligent, insightful and vital documentary explores systemic racism within the American criminal justice system via the extraordinary story of one man.

In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is convicted of a Chinatown gang murder after cursory racial profiling.

After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting Soo Lee’s hopes of acquittal and inspiring an unprecedented social justice movement that spanned generations.

At a moment when the Asian diaspora is experiencing a surge in racist violence following the pandemic, this extraordinarily moving documentary feels especially timely, a way of entering and understanding the long history of discrimination faced by this international community.

Exploring Soo Lee’s complex life after being freed, as well as his time in prison, Free Chol Soo Lee is a powerful indictment of systemic racism and the criminal justice system, and the stunning latest in a series of US films and TV series placing a contemporary lens on historic miscarriages of justice and bringing them back into the light.

Our Chairman sent out a reminder to members that they'd be missing out if they didn't get to see the 2^nd showing … the early group all praised it to the rafters …We complete a reaction slip for each film society programme we watch … one member confirmed the film as 'totally engrossing and absorbing' …

Chol Soo Lee

Story telling at its best – but about a real person … I was completely bowled over … so I do hope you'll be able to look into this documentary (86 minutes) … I can't praise it enough … and cannot do anymore than recommend it and hope you all will make a plan to see it …

Mentally I came away wondering how on earth one man could have lived a normal life after being in prison and on death row for years … the torment he must have experienced …

… then relate it to immigrants, and here to refugees, who have travelled vast distances, crossed seas … encountered who knows what …

… coerced into actions they'd never normally take … I am so lucky I live in the world I do … this film and others, I hope, make us realise how fortunate we are … I'm going to hear a talk by an Afghan refugee tomorrow night …

Oh how I would like people to be kinder, more thoughtful, not jump to conclusions … think about things – would you like that to happen to you … we are not living in easy times …

Tony Serra - courtroom sketch

I was intrigued to learn about Tony Serra – the civil rights attorney, activist, tax resister – who came to defend Chol Soo Lee … another real-life character worth knowing about …

Chol Soo Lee – Wikipedia

The Towner Film section … Free Chol Soo Lee

Tony Serra - Wikipedia

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest # 42: Cracked It …

 

Josh Babarinde OBE, a local Eastbourne social entrepreneur, has recently been recognised, in the Queen’s Honours, for his work with disaffected young people in East London.

 

Josh Babarinde

Cracked It is an award winning technology business that has supported more than 200 ex-offenders away from crime and towards employment.

 

The Smartphone repair services supports these youngsters in developing their skills, enabling them to take responsibility, realise their potential and take their first steps towards the labour market.

 

Early Eastbourne

Josh was born and bred down here and during the lockdown he has launched a scheme to provide free video phones to Eastbourne’s care home residents … so they can stay connected with their families and see their doctors online.

 

He has also led the Liberal Democrats (one of our main political parties) to establish a campaign to telephone over 5,000 elderly residents in his home town (Eastbourne) during the lockdown.

 

Bourne stream
from which Eastbourne
gets its town name

We are lucky to have such a local achiever in these times … his focus has always been to ‘roll up his sleeves’ to achieve the best for his community and small business enterprises he has established in East London, and here in Eastbourne.

 

Covid has changed the world - and we must change with it. That’s why we’re devoting all of our resources to incubating new projects to seed systemic change beyond the lifetime of Cracked It.

 

Cracked Its' Values:

Tough Love    Empowerment    Empathy

 

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

 

Cracked It: London’s best iphone fixers …

Shackleton Foundation – working with Josh Babarinde

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Du Fu … Chinese poet …

Du Fu - “Poet Historian” or “Poet Sage” … who lived in the 8^th century (712 – 770 AD) ...

Du Fu c/o Wikipedia - an artist's impression 

… at the time here in Britain the Anglo-Saxons ruled from the 5^th Century to 1066 AD (William the Conqueror’s invasion) … during which time the Vikings marauded and over time (770 – 1066 AD) integrated …

There was a biographical programme about Du Fu – which I found really interesting … giving me some insight into the interior of China …

Two adapted quotes …

In the deep sky:
Scorpius in the Milky Way 

It may be almost as hard for friends to meet again …

... as for Orion’ and Scorpius’ stars in earth’s firmament to halt the precession …

Reconciliation
by Josefina Vasconcellos

We humans tread lightly on this world … can we look to leave it in safe hands … caring ones, empathetic ones … for the poor, displaced, discouraged … all peoples – everyone needs to be thought about … and remembered …

 

Take care, going carefully into each day … our world is strange today ... lets bring it back together into the compassionate one we'd all like to live in ... 

Du Fu - BBC 4 tv programme: China's greatest poet 

If you're not that knowledgeable about China's interior - there's a very good map in the Wiki post on Du Fu ... as he did not travel east to the coastal regions.  He lived during the Tang Dynasty ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest # 35: For all the caring people at this time … and Ralph McTell …

Life is challenging … yet so many are caring, compassionate … with people coming to the fore helping others …

I applaud particularly the medics, supporting organisations, facilitators …

Ralph McTell and Tom Paxon 2007

Ralph McTell having resisted changing his song ‘Streets of London’ … he has come up with another verse pertinent to this extraordinary moment in history …

Here's the moving result:

In shop doorways, under bridges, in all our towns and cities 

You can glimpse the makeshift bedding from the corner of your eye 

Remember what you're seeing barely hides a human being

 We're all in this together, brother, sister, you and I.

A short #WATWB – help; listen; understand … :

“We’re all in this together, brother, sister, you and I.”

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

Portobello Road

Ralph McTell's interview here ... it is well worth reading ...

Streets of London – full lyrics …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Mothering Sunday and removing the ‘social media noise’ from your life …

Life altered suddenly, with us all needing time to adjust, I could have done with another week before the curtain came down …

I'm sure many of you know -
my mother's favourite flowers

… but I’m lucky I am self-sufficient and have plenty of self-plans … friends to talk to, and I believe some blog posts to write about … exhibitions and places I’ve visited …

South Downs to the west of
Eastbourne, East Sussex

Mothering Sunday – I see I wrote what I think is rather a good post 8 years ago – the last year my mother was alive … which I’ll link at the end of this one … (nothing like blowing my own trumpet!) …

Down here at the coast in Eastbourne we have woken up to at least some sun – but boy is it cold – an easterly wind. 

Anticyclone Hartmut - satellite view of Europe, incl
Great Britain and Ireland, under the lines of the strong
cold wave - 27 Feb 2018

When I was in Canada for that year (late 2017 – late 2018) … two ‘Beasts from the East’ occurred … so glad I wasn’t here – the Canadian winter was relatively mild that year!

Narcissus

A couple of things came to mind today … one was time – most of us self-isolating are going to have more time on our hands – so take longer to do things and adjust your daily routine … the day will pass more easily …

Beautiful crocii (c/o Thompson and
Morgan - plant merchants)

 Second was ‘noise’ … ie social media … I’m lucky I don’t get distracted by it – and won’t look most of the time … unless I’m in quizzy mode. 

Social Media Noise
 - c/o RxView Blog

But if you can stay away from it and not listen to others – thus not getting involved or making yourself anxious, unless it’s a government directive, or more importantly a scientific expert, then so much the better …

I do hope everyone is as safe and as well as they can be … while as my blog says … stay positive – so many others are much worse off than we are.

With thoughts and peace for this Mothering Sunday …

My post of eight years ago:  Mothering Sunday – the Hilaria festivals ofthe Vernal Equinox to honour Cybele …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest # 33: The Poetry Pharmacy …

Heart, Mind and Soul … ‘prescription poems’ for the underside of life … when anyone is feeling down for whatever the reason …

 … poems to be read by oneself … to give a sense of meaning to ‘the underbelly of life’ we maybe feeling at this time; or to read to others …

<<< for us all – to everyone in need >>>

<<< we probably know someone we can help – thoughts / poems / prose to read >>>

I heard William Sieghart talk about this book on the BBC's World Service – remembered enough to make me want to check it out … and once that was done, instantly buy the book, which I did …

… seriously such a good book to own, to peruse … there’s even a note on how to read a poem … one tip is ‘read it almost like a prayer’ …

Photo of the book:
The Poetry Pharmacy

The main headings are: Mental and Emotional Wellbeing; Motivations; Self-Image and Self-Acceptance; The World and Other People; Love and Loss …

Some of the poets (attributions) quoted: Rumi; John Donne; Seamus Heaney; Tolkien …

A few of the sub-headings within the main ones: Anxiety; Glumness; Feelings of Unreality; Loss of Zest for Life; Self-Recrimination; Fear of the Unknown; Unkindness; Infatuation …

# We Are the World
In Darkness, Be Light

I’m going to give you other aspects addressed:  Index of first lines; Index of Conditions;  then also very worthwhile  reading: the Introduction;  The History of the Poetry Pharmacy;  and ‘How to Read a Poem’ …

This little book is for all of us – to use, to give away, to share … please look to buy or ask your library to purchase: so well worth it …

This month … my prescription for …

We are the World Blogfest

“In Darkness, Be Light …”

… is to check out this book to help ourselves, or offer to others – you won’t regret it.

 

We are the World Blogfest

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Remembrance Day … Making Peace with Death …

On this day of Remembrance we will all be viewing departures from this life in different ways depending on our life experiences and those of our family members gone before us …

 

A British charity providing financial, social and
emotional support to members and veterans of the
of the British Armed Forces, their families and
dependants; their motto "Service not Self"

… I mentioned in my last post that I went to see an exhibition in 2012/3 about the value of art in communicating ideas about death - back then I wasn’t quite as ready to see it – yet felt compelled that I should …

... but decided to wait until next year to post about it … there’s quite a lot to show and mention …

The Cenotaph in
Whitehall (2014)

So today – I’ll be remembering everyone I've known who has left this world … including the lady I befriended over the years my mother was in the Nursing Centre - she died eleven days ago, two days after her 80^th … 

Eirene - Goddess of Peace

... she had not had an easy life - eighteen years of it had been spent in the Nursing Centre … but with the encouragement and care particularly of the staff, and us, she had a lovely happy birthday, perked up considerably, dying in peace … all we can do for others helps …

Cardinal Newman (1801 – 1890), who has recently been made a Saint (our first since 1615 and more about him anon), stood for the life of the spirit against the forces that would debase human dignity and human destiny …

His Eminence Saint
John Henry Newman in 1881
before his canonization

This today is the simple message I hope we can remember … we need to be compassionate to all and to understand each other …

I watched the Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph, … which always brings tears to my eyes reminding us of who and how many have helped through all the War years … 

We Will Not Forget …

Royal British Legion

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Mesothelioma Awareness Day - Heather Von St James who lives on with the silent killer of Steve McQueen ...

Who would think this vibrant looking woman has a life-threatening disease … her story is well worth a read and will give us all a greater understanding into Asbestos Induced Diseases.

Mesothelioma is rare … but there have been a few notable patients (c/o Wiki) … Steve McQueen, the well-known actor, was diagnosed after perhaps being exposed in the US Marines, or from the insulating material in the racing suits the drivers wore.

As Heather explains so poignantly, hers came about because she loved her father and wrapped herself up in his jacket when she was a youngster and he was home.  It manifested itself over 25 years …

Asbestos Mountains as drawn by William Burchell

I hope that you will read more of her journey at Mason’s post (and all the other participants) and particularly Heather’s own.

Blogging as we all know opens our eyes to so many things – we learn so much – and this is another facet … an appreciation of others’ illnesses and the conditions they have to cope with.

 

Fibrous Tremolite Asbestos
on Muscovite

We can get inspiration and admiration from their stories and raise awareness that each and everyone of us can be kind, considerate and thoughtful to others: we don’t know what’s going on – there could be a ‘Heather Journey’.

I gasp and cry as I read of people with major illness and of their families who remain positive, and intend to live their life to fulfilment – completely and utterly …

… this has to help with the future memories – of how they and their families never let the disease stop them – and how their get and go attitude gives impetus to Awareness days and sends out threads of knowledge to more of us.

 

Heather and Cameron

I wish Heather and her family all the very best and express my admiration for them … long may she live, before her inspirationally moving legacy kicks in.

Here is Heather’s site - and there is an amazing video by Heather, her husband and daughter ... very well worth a watch.

Here is Mason’s site: Thoughts in Progress - Mesothelioma Awareness

Our UK site gives a good overview – politics intervenes – I won’t pass my comment … but I am interested in seeing the narrative.  From this site can be found links to the Australian, Canadian and South African sites – while the main .com is the American web page.

 

Cameron, Lily Rose and Heather

So please spread Awareness of Mesothelioma to all who might be interested or need to be made aware of the disease.  It is a hidden killer …

Here is Heather’s wonderful blog post that puts “TheImportance of Support” into context … I can relate to this and can definitely think of another disease that took a small life, where this post totally resonates.

Please support Heather – you know I’m not good with social media aspects – but please all of you who are ‘experts: poor or good!’ … do what you can to spread the word.

Thank you,

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories