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Family Life, the Universe and Everything with a Latte on the Side

Making Sense of It All

Monday, 27 February 2017


To be honest, I'm not sure I can.  You got any ideas?  The land over the water has been taken over by a fascist tangerine. Purple meanies are running amok here.  It's like the 70's has turned up, bringing its casual -isms with it and signs saying, "No blacks, no dogs and no Irish" and declared them acceptable forms of expression again.   (They're not.  Never were.  Never shall be).  

Keys with keep calm and carry on key ring hanging on a fence

Read and Talk About Stuff

Not just the headlines, but the text of the article to see who is saying and doing what.  Read from a variety of sources to get different opinions.  Talk about things with others.  To quote Dumbledore, which I'll be doing quite a bit today as the annual Harry Potter-a-thon has just finished: "Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts open".  Try not to end up in a bubble of like minded people.  It makes for lazy discussions, flabby arguments and horrible surprises when people you like disagree with you.

Being charming and likeable and having reactionary opinions aren't incompatible. I know lovely people who are thrilled by the current turn of events.  It would be great if everyone with diferent views was a complete arse-biscuit and everyone who agreed with us was utterly delightful, but that's not the case.  The Lord decided to mess with our heads with that one.  Probably for our own good. Being able to disagree whilst remaining on good terms with someone is an important life skill.  As is knowing when to keep quiet because it's just not worth it.

Act

Find something you can do - write to your MP, sign and circulate a petition, wave a placard at a rally, volunteer to help at a food bank etc.  Even small things like smiling at people or giving up your seat to someone who needs it make a difference.  Doing something practical or kind makes you feel more powerful.  I hesitate to write, take back control, but ... Thanks for ruining that expression for ever Vote Leave.   Support and encourage others in what they're doing.

John's gospel says:  "The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out."  

Dumbledore says similar:  "The important is to fight and fight again, for only can evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated".  And:  "Dark times lie ahead of us and there will be a time when we must choose between what is easy and what is right". Ouch!

Laugh

In Harry Potter, a boggart manifests as your worst fear. The only way to defeat it was to laugh at it. Fight back with love and laughter.  Dumbledore:  "Happiness can be found in the darkest times, if only one remembers to turn on the light". 


Switch Off

When it gets too much, switch off, change the subject and do whatever it takes to make yourself and others feel better.  This enables you to fight the good fight another day.

Fingers crossed for a few days of calm, hey?!
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Living God, Rants
Posted by Mrs Tubbs

36 comments

  1. Fancypaper27 February 2017 at 09:46

    Good advice...and I need it x #bigpinklink

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    1. Mrs Tubbs27 February 2017 at 13:14

      Glad it was useful and hope it helps. Tough times ahead I think

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  2. Kirsty - Winnettes27 February 2017 at 09:49

    Is there any making sense of it? I think switching off is going to be the main coping mechanism in the near future! #BigPinkLink

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    1. Mrs Tubbs27 February 2017 at 13:16

      Probably not. I have developed whippet like reflexes when changing channel to prevent unwanted appearances of Farage and Johnson etc. Looks like you have too

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  3. Michelle Brennan27 February 2017 at 13:46

    Very much in agreement with this! I'm not trying to promote my own work on your blog but I wrote this a few weeks ago - Oi 2017 - Our Children Are Watching. And No, It's Not OK., very much in the same vain . And I guess it just gives me hope that there are lots and lots of people that feel the same way as me. Which means we can make a difference, if we want to. Thanks for sharing. #MarvMondays

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    1. Mrs Tubbs27 February 2017 at 14:51

      I read it and thought it was wonderful and nearly said I had a similar post due to go up in a few weeks! It's great to see pushback. We need it!

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  4. Louise W27 February 2017 at 15:21

    I love that you have basically likened that hideous man to Voldemort! I think that is the way to change things, the only way for most of us, by putting out love and hope and kindness and teaching our children to do the same. Thank you for joining us at the #bigpinklink

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    1. Mrs Tubbs1 March 2017 at 13:02

      If enough of us do it, we can make such a difference. I hope so anyway. Thank you for hosting each week and the lovely comment

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  5. Anonymous27 February 2017 at 15:54

    It certainly has been a year full of discord so far in the States. Everyone is at each other's throats and tempers are flaring. Sigh. It makes me want to hide in my home and watch nothing but cartoons. Maybe that's what I'll do. ;-)
    #globalblogging

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    1. Mrs Tubbs1 March 2017 at 13:03

      Cartoons are one of the best forms of escapism I know! Happy hiding :)

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  6. Mackenzie Glanville28 February 2017 at 02:29

    I love these quotes, I have never read, nor watched Harry Potter but I am touched by these quotes. Such wise words here, and I totally agree. It is important to make our own minds up and not just mindlessly agree because people we like say things. I disagree with things that my fries are saying or doing, yet we remain friends. I may question why they make some choices, but they are entitled to their own thoughts and opinions, as am I. Graet Post! #mg

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    1. Mrs Tubbs1 March 2017 at 13:04

      Thank you :) You'd like the HP books I think, they're a great read, but quite a commitment as there are seven of them.

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  7. Jeremy Barnes28 February 2017 at 02:43

    I was just talking about how people don't seem to read the body of articles anymore. A headline, a quick glance at the first paragraph to be sure it fits with their preconceived notions and thats it

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    1. Mrs Tubbs1 March 2017 at 13:05

      Drives me nuts. The middle is where they hid the stuff they don't want you to notice.

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  8. Kirsty - Winnettes28 February 2017 at 10:13

    Popping back for #DreamTeam as I was behind you. Still a great post!

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    1. Mrs Tubbs1 March 2017 at 12:52

      Waves! Thank you for visiting twice

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  9. Lisa Pomerantz28 February 2017 at 10:20

    I love how Dumbledore has the sage advice for these evil times. Here, with the orange fascist, I am stupefied daily by his actions, and continue to be motivated to act peacefully and make change. Thanks for sharing your lovely post on #globalblogging We all need to know when to turn it off. Calm, not so sure I will achieve that! <3

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    1. Mrs Tubbs1 March 2017 at 13:05

      So very true. I love the fact you're using your blogging voice to stand your ground and speak out. Thank you for the lovely comment

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  10. Coombe Mill1 March 2017 at 20:54

    What a lovely piece and a great call to action whatever our views. Who knows what will happen across the pond or what effect it will have on us, but we can all do a little something about it if we choose to. As for friends, I have very good friends with quite different political views to me, we are still good friends. #Sharewithme

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    1. Mrs Tubbs3 March 2017 at 13:37

      Exactly. We've got friends who voted completely differently to us during the Referendum and we're still mates. Life's too short.

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  11. Unknown4 March 2017 at 13:41

    We are all become reactionary, aren't we? People don't bother to read the entire article or to draw logical conclusions. It's just "I'm right, you're wrong." It's getting quite tiring!Lovely quotes, and some excellent tips!
    Cheers!
    moderngypsy.in

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    1. Mrs Tubbs5 March 2017 at 21:41

      Thank you. Glad you found it helpful :)

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  12. Hayley @ Mission: Mindfulness4 March 2017 at 19:57

    What a brilliant post - I loved the section entitled 'ACT' - people forget that little things can make a big difference. I also like the switch off point too. Pleased to have come across this post on #globalblogging

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    1. Mrs Tubbs6 March 2017 at 10:34

      Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it

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  13. Jacqui4 March 2017 at 20:44

    Switch Off
    When it gets too much, switch off, change the subject and do whatever it takes to make yourself and others feel better. This enables you to fight the good fight another day. LOVED this!! Great lessons here! Thank you for sharing with #globalblogging

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    1. Mrs Tubbs6 March 2017 at 10:35

      Thank you. So pleased it helped.

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  14. My Petit Canard4 March 2017 at 23:26

    I love your thinking and your approach on this. Rather than be helpless and complain about the status quo, lets do things to challenge it. Even when something feels bigger than you, just one person doing something to try and change things and/or trying to make a difference can be more powerful than we realise.Great post, thanks for sharing it on #MarvMondays. Emily

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    1. Mrs Tubbs6 March 2017 at 10:37

      Gosh, thank you for the lovely comment and for hosting each week

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  15. Annette, 3 Little Buttons5 March 2017 at 14:59

    This is a great reminder that we can all make a difference and in some cases make a stand for the things we believe in no matter how big or small. Thanks so much for the motivation and for sharing with the #DreamTeam

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    1. Mrs Tubbs6 March 2017 at 10:38

      Thank you :)

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  16. Helena TheQueenofCollage5 March 2017 at 17:37

    It certainly would be rubbish if we were all robots. #bestandworst

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    1. Mrs Tubbs6 March 2017 at 10:37

      It would be! Although there are times when it would really help ...

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  17. Mummy Fever6 March 2017 at 23:58

    I think to fight back with love and laughter is such good advice. Thanks for linking to #sharewithme

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    1. Mrs Tubbs8 March 2017 at 13:07

      Thank you for hosting each week :)

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  18. Helen Gandy - Beautiful Things13 March 2017 at 20:41

    Fab, well all need a bit of Harry Potter advice in our life! Thanks for linking up #bestandworst

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    1. Mrs Tubbs24 March 2017 at 16:48

      We do. It's a shame I've already done this year's read as I could do with another one

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Mrs Tubbs
I'm Nikki. Wife to Rev T and mum to the Tubblet.  

Welcome to my beautiful space on the Internet where I write about family, food, politics, fashion, beauty, books, religion, simple living and anything else that takes my fancy.  

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