10/05/2026
Last weekend, in a street in my neighbourhood, a young man walked into the house of his ex-girlfriend with a live gr***de. She had the foresight to send her child into the garden to play. As a result, the child only received minor injuries, whilst she and her ex-boyfriend were killed in the explosion.
There are deep wounds in our society, that continue to erupt in one way or another. The violence, hatred and despair that they grow out of and perpetuate are expressions not only of sick individuals, but of a sick society.
The roots of violence are embedded in early life experiences and watered by an uncomprehending culture. We need to invest our energies into cultivating a more fertile ground for life to take root and to water these with kindness and compassion, instead of the pressure to perform and produce.
A culture in which these are primary principles, will be a culture that thrives and grows towards the light, rather than plunging again and again into darkness.
Society is made up of people. We all play our part, even if that part is a minor role on a large stage. We do our best and that has to be enough, as it is all we have to offer. In our work with babies and children, we continually come into contact with an innate intelligence and depth of contact, which is a source of endless hope.
The question, then, is what happens to this that it becomes turned in on itself and away from its inherent life-positive orientation. It is not a simple question, but a vital one. When we listen to babies and children, and hold the space for them to express themselves, they reveal much about what it is to be a human being and what struggles we face to fully realise this. There is much to learn here. We just have to be open to it.
