News of the terrorist attacks that have gone on over the past few weeks, most recently in Paris, have shocked us all to the core. In these times of fear it can be difficult to keep a sense of hope, yet that is exactly what we must do – for our own preservation as well as that of our family and community, and for the sake of all of us inhabiting this planet.
As a reaction to the horrific events, I put together this very short ‘yellow thread’ ceremony to perform at my networking group.
Everyone taking part stands in a circle and, as I say the words, wraps the yellow thread once around their wrist before passing it on. At the end, everyone helps their neighbour to cut the thread and tie it to their wrist as a reminder to shine.
Here are the words:
How can we make sense of the world when atrocities such as the events in Paris happen?
When our daily lives are darkened by black clouds of fear?
All of us here on this green planet are joined by a common thread of life:
The terrorists, the victims, those who pick up the pieces and those of us who watch, mute with horror.
We all share a thread and we weave our part into life’s tapestry.
At times like these, it’s easy to become defensive and fearful. The thread we weave darkens and we add to the gloomy corner of the tapestry we find ourselves in.
Let’s not let fear make us close our hearts and turn our threads grey.
Now is the time to dare to love, to dare to open ourselves even wider.
To be a light in the darkness.
Let our threads be bright and joyous.
Wear this yellow thread round your wrist today and let it remind you:
We will not give in to hate. We will shine as beacons of love in the gloom.