Brexit, divorce and landslides June 29, 2016 – Posted in: Relationships

Like many people here in the UK, I’ve been blindsided by my country’s decision to leave the EU especially when, for many of us, it’s not the decision I would’ve taken.

It feels a little like divorce – utterly devastating and closely resembling a landslide.

I know from my own experience of divorce 5-years ago that the sense of landslide makes us want to reach out for low-hanging branches (or driftwood, as a friend once described it) in order to stop the panic of free-fall.

But, in my experience, the best fruit doesn’t often grow on the low hanging branches. In fact, this fruit is often not very good for us at all.

We have to wait until the sliding is over, until we have stopped falling, before we can pick ourselves up, assess the damage, readjust and start a new climb.

In the same way, all the blaming and shaming and hatred I see in the UK right now is akin to those low-hanging branches. It feels safer to blame others and tut and shake our liberal, privileged heads than to accept the fall and our part in it.

I have friends and neighbours in my community who voted differently to me and who am I to say that given their background, lives, loves and situation I wouldn’t have voted the same? I can only judge another if I have walked in their shoes.

I can still love my neighbour however they voted…

The UK is clearly divided (as is the world). What we must do now is accept the fall and then, when we’ve landed, work collaboratively to reroute, plan ahead and start a new climb.

I have no idea what that looks like (and I am still struggling to accept the outcome of our referendum) but I hope to god it doesn’t include any more hate or blame or fighting because that will simply keep us falling.