No One Died Today - The Paradise in My Mind.

I was looking at writing prompts on Pinterest...ok so I have been looking for a prompt for over an hour. No characters were talking to me and I was just about to pack things in and go read in bed. Then I saw this one:

"How's your day going?"

"Well, no one died."

"Those are your standards?"

I will admit that this is a phrase I have used, on more than one occasion and sometimes yes a day can only be held against these standards. Then I thought for a moment longer and just how much this exchange has taken on a much graver meaning of late.

Other countries are celebrating or at the very least hoping beyond all hope that Covid has left them behind.  That this statement is truer than ever and a relief. We are not there yet and for some this exchange could be too close to home and a little macabre.

In other places, for other members of the human race, this could well be the standard by which they live. None of their neighbours have been persecuted or been killed just for being the colour they were born as, hopefully!

Mostly this last few weeks I have been torn and conflicted and down-right disheartened that as human beings we could treat each other this way. My brain has areas that so easily slip into a sarcastic exchange like above, but my brain has also built a little walled off paradise, and this paradise is under attack.

My paradise is one where everyone believes as I do. ALL LIVES MATTER. I struggle to differentiate in this little paradise; black/white/Asian/disabled physically/mental health conditions/LGBT+++. I just want to scream 'WHATEVER, you are human'. Here you don't get extra points if you are one colour or another. Here society works to make sure disabled people are treated with equity, not just equality. Here you love who the heck you want! And we embrace any difference, not persecute people for their difference.

I am aware how naive I sound and I am aware that life is not like this. But my brain tries to keep this idea protected. Surely I am not the only person to think like this and surely at some point with enough will power this could become reality. I had hoped that the Covid crisis would be that thing to bring us all together, as only a global event could. Again still so naive. 

It is startling how in less than six months the reality behind a throw-away comment can be made all too real. Amazing how things can change in so little time and yet not change at all.