I have long believed that laughter is the best medicine. Here I share an occasion that brought much mirth and laughter as well as depth. .
One winter evening in 2021, my husband and I were watching a food show where the host/cook had been invited to eat with the French Foreign Legion in their mess (canteen). I had a vague notion that the French Foreign Legion was something that young men ran away to (as an option to ‘joining the circus’) so that it seemed connected to a feeling of 'romance and adventure' - something the food show host was trying to highlight. To jog my memory I asked my husband if he knew exactly what humanitarian purposes the French Foreign Legion was linked to. I was quickly set right ... no humanitarian purposes there, just an army and a very hierarchical one, open only to men (I later found out lots of rather damning things about it with a bit of research).
This is where the whole thing turned funny, my husband misunderstood one of my comments and thinking I had said I needed to deal with them ... he started trying to explain to me that this was a mad undertaking. Then he changed his approach ... with an outrageous French accent he pretended to be Macron (the French president) who was replying to a letter received from one Helen Ferrara (yours truly): ‘Oh but I had no idea, this is not good at all ...in response to a letter from Dr Helen Ferrara, and the research in her book - Creativity Stepping into Wholeness, after almost 200 years we must disband the French Foreign Legion. I apologise for all the damage and hurt it has caused, I am really very sorry. I believe Dr Ferrara will next be writing to Putin...’ You might imagine the great hilarity his words caused me, as well as the innocent delight to pretend (even for just a moment) that common sense and the shedding of light, on those things in the world that prevent us from fully being our creative thriving selves (like everything that promotes wars and self-interest), could actually make a difference in the choices that our 'leaders' make, if they but listened to us.
So, I leave you to ponder this - how can we make a difference? For me the answer came from a book of interviews and podcasts (from Lunch Lady) that a friend gifted me for Easter: ‘When the world feels like it's overwhelming, and the problems are too wicked and too big, it's really beautiful to home in on where you live and where you love, and put your heart and soul into creating the most alive, vibrant, resilient community you can.’
I have spent years writing a book that sheds light on the state of our world, and shows what incredible amazing potential we have at our disposal if we but choose to say 'Yes' to our creativity. Maybe this could inspire people to come together and take some action, make some timely changes ... ? Just putting it out there; I really believe that rather than trying to do things all on our own, it is now time to connect. Much love.
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