Make a Difference

On last night’s news Stuart Lawrence was interviewed. Stuart is the younger brother of Stephen Lawrence, who, in 1993, aged eighteen, was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack.

Stuart’s a motivational speaker, dedicated to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, particularly amongst young people. His message was ‘Make a Difference’.

I was reminded yesterday of the old Franciscan blessing that concludes:

And may God bless you
with enough foolishness
to believe that you can
make a difference in the world,
so that you can do
what others claim cannot be done,
to bring justice and kindness
to all our children and the poor.

I’ve been challenged in the past by these words… Be angry at injustice… Feel the pain of the suffering… Make a Difference. I was challenged again yesterday.

Yesterday, at our ‘Music for Welbeing’ group, well over forty of us sung the old Ben E King song, Stand by Me’:

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we’ll see
No, I won’t be afraid, oh, I won’t be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me

So darlin’, darlin’, stand by me, oh, stand by me
Oh, stand, stand by me, stand by me

I looked round the room. Stephen and Pauline were celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. Pauline’s dementia is quite advanced; Stephen is her dedicated carer.

Annie had brought Craig and Norman from a local care home. Craig said nothing all afternoon – except to join in singing, ‘She’ll be coming round the Mountain’.

Folks were concerned about Dave who’s recovering from a long bout of Covid and Shirley who’s anxious about imminent surgery. I realised ‘Stand by Me’ wasn’t just sung; it was lived – not in a grand, public, dramatic way, but by ordinary folks, in the business of every-day life; making a difference.

Stuart Lawrence ended his interview by quoting the mnemonic ‘HOPED’ – Help One Person Each Day. One person, the small and unnoticed, Making a Difference.