Inspiring

Lisa Potts receiving the George Medal.

In the news this week there was an item on Lisa Potts (now Webb).  In case the name doesn't immediately ring a bell, she was the nursery teacher who in 1996 bent over the children she was caring for at the nursery school when a man with paranoid schizophrenia began attacking them with a machete.  She sustained some horrific injuries to her head, back and arms, one arm being almost severed.  She subsequently lived for some time with the consequences and trauma of this event.  She was only 21 years old at the time but her bravery and courage was rewarded with a medal from the Queen - the George Medal for outstanding bravery.

http://www.upworthy.com/the-popes-lunch-plans-tomorrow-
are-exactly-why-we-love-the-dude-so-much?c=ufb1

Also in the news this week has been the visit of Pope Francis to the US.  Even if you don't agree with some of the things he has to say. you can't help but like him as he keeps surprising us with some of the things he says and does.  This week as he addressed the American Congress, he did not shy away from talking about climate change and the need to abolish the death penalty, saying that all human life is sacred.  Afterwards, instead of eating with the politicians as had been planned, he went to a homeless centre and helped to serve meals to the homeless people who gathered there.  He also stopped the motorcade in order to listen to the request of a small girl.  His humility and the way he identifies with the ordinary worker is symbolically demonstrated in the motorcade of all the big flashy cars while he travels in a little Fiat along with his assistant.

This week I have also been washing out all the bird feeders and buying in the various types of bird food ready for the time of looking after and feeding our wild birds. I do enjoy watching the birds as they come and feed in our garden.  They give me a great deal of pleasure.  On Twitter and Facebook I follow Simon King.  He is probably better known as one of the presenters that used to be on Spring/Autumn Watch.  He lives in Somerset on a plot of land covering quite a few acres.  He has over the past few years converted this wild piece of land into what is known as Wild Meadows where he seeks to encourage various types of wildlife, large and small.  He's also set up cameras that you can watch the wildlife for yourself, including badgers, foxes, otters, small rodents, pheasants, kingfishers, and many other types of birds.  You can link up with his website here and here.

 Three completely different types of people but all inspiring in their own way and within their own situations and circumstances.  But inspiring people should be more than just interesting stories that catch your eye.  Learning about them should really inspire us to want to reach out and do more, to copy them in a way even if a bit more simply.  After one of the Pope's speeches someone wrote on Twitter 'Not many speeches make me want to be a better person.  Thank you Pope.'  That's inspiring.  The bravery of Lisa Potts makes us feel how important it is to care for and protect those more vulnerable.  Simon King inspires me to be aware of the environment and the natural world and do something to help, even though on a much smaller scale than him.  I don't embrace all the wildlife but I do like to feed the wild birds in the winter and plant things that help bees and butterflies in the summer.  Who inspires you?  It may not be someone famous or in the media headlines.  It might be a family member or a neighbour or someone you've been told about or seen on social media.  Let's be inspired by someone today and when thinking of them don't just say 'Ah! That's nice' but determine to reach out to make the world a little better just where we are and in so doing maybe inspire others to do the same..