A shift in atmospherics means a significant rumble of traffic in the air this campervan morning. It’s chilly with a real cold edge, even with the plenty of sunshine that I am surrounded by this morning. Warm steam rising from coffee cup and breath on the air. The sky is a cloudless blue with the vaguest hint of white. The birds are busy, the soundscape crowded with calls and song. A lone robin sits on a fence post singing, my morning companion the blackbird in the ash, sparrows, starlings and a far off crow. We seem to have been missed by the big guys of late, a relative lack of crows, magpies and the like. The ash now in full bud and starting to green up, the oak resolute in her refusal to leaf. The old rhyme springs to mind :
“ If the oak before the ash, then we'll only have a splash, if the ash before the oak, then we'll surely have a soak".
By this reckoning then it could be a relatively dry summer ahead. Reflecting on yesterdays drumming group and finally making the decisions that I had to make and feeling a weight lifted. Whilst researching for yesterdays work and scouting my various notebooks I came across the following quote :
“ How do I have to be, for another person to be free.”
I believe it’s a translation from a Zulu expression, but can’t be sure. I am not sure if I have used this before, but it leapt out at me. I asked myself how do I have to be, so other people can be free. How do I behave with them, talk to them, work with them, be present with them, listen to them. I love that in my drumming work, my purpose is to set people free to express themselves how they wish, the way the want to, no limitations, just the ones they set themselves. How in the counselling room, to be with another person, be present in such a way that they are allowed to be free to express and be their true selves. How do I set limits on people, stunt their expression of self, their right to be who they are. The expression dropped on my toes at the right time. There is a huge existential discussion that with freedom comes responsibility and with that anxiety. However I am bringing this closer to home and examining who I have to be to set you free. I just have to be my conscious self and not walk blindly in this world. Lovely days people.
“ The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage.” Carrie Jones.
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