Ups and downs, highs and lows

June 28, 2016 by Ray Morgan

Ups and downs, highs and lows

There have been so many emotions in the past few days. I have gone from hope to despair to pure elation and extreme happy tears - all in the space of Thursday-to-Sunday.

It's not all Brexit related; but I don't mind telling you that I voted Remain and I'm disappointed at what's happened. I'm disappointed that the loudest voice that rings out right now is one of xenophobia and fear. I'm not foolish enough to think that everyone who voted Leave is a flagrant racist. I know they're not. Of course they're not. Intelligent people on both sides made valid points. But on a personal level, I feel disappointed, and that was palpable on Friday morning as I drank tea in my kitchen and made toast as though everything was normal, even though it wasn't. I worry for my friends who run brilliant independent businesses who might face really difficult times ahead because of us leaving the EU. That's the reality.

But here we are, it's happened, and things are going to be rocky until we know what's really going to happen and how this will affect us. Could it change the landscape of our little town and all the independents who may struggle now? Possibly. Is the property market going to be even more insane, or will it calm? We'll have to wait and see.

Thankfully, a ray of sunshine was on the horizon when we were deep in 'What does Brexit mean for us?' articles online (of which there are millions, of course). It was the Leigh Folk Festival! I waxed lyrical about it in last week's blog but come on guys, it's probably the biggest weekend Leigh on Sea has to offer! And boy, was it brilliant.

From Friday night in the Fishermen's Chapel where I cried at harmonies to the jam-packed Library Gardens on Saturday to drinking prosecco at midnight and watching electronica and psych-folk until 1 in the morning to the amazing dance procession on Sunday all the way through to 6pm when I danced like a total idiot to ska with a well-earned pint in my hand. What a tonic the weekend was.

No matter what you voted for, surely something you strive for is people being happy. And the sheer joy on people's faces at the festival made me realise that music and sunshine and poetry and comedy and dancing and being around other good people is what life is all about. Our future is unstable; there's no denying it, when the pound plummets that much we have to admit that big changes lie ahead. But what we need to focus on now is optimism. Togetherness. Not fear, not hatred of people who might seem 'other', not fighting with each other and scrapping over which politician said what.

We have a responsibility to be good to each other and if that makes me sound like a total hippy then hey - I've been at a festival all weekend. I may not have been in the Glastonbury mud but my bloodstream is 75% real ale, I danced in a field (park), and I hugged people telling them I loved them while reggae was blasting out. I got home last night and I blubbed like a baby being all "Omggg I lovvve Leigh Folk Festivaaaaallll" and I have genuinely been gutted that it's over, back to reality, back to reading the Brexit articles, back to wondering what's going to lie ahead. So yeah - it may sound like a hippy ideal but after the absolute rollercoaster of emotions over the past week, surely to want to be good to each other, make music, create art, be happy - surely that's a goal we should all be striving for.

To read all of Ray's previous blogs please click the link https://www.leigh-on-sea.com/tag/listing/blog/ray-morgan