Avoidance

Sitting in my Hobbit hole
determined to be strong
but feeling so alone

I know I am the only one
who can make this right
allow myself to be true

Letting people in
makes me retract
Keeping people out
makes me exact
a punishment either way.

Politics of the Heart

The decision to vote Yes is not about traditional politics. It's about a politics of the heart, an inner knowing, a truth that has been denied me by history.

In 1992, I was living in Florida. We were asked to write an article envisioning what we would have achieved by 2005. We were also encouraged to be as ambitious as possible while doing this.

I immediately became a freedom fighter in my imagination. So ingrained in my psyche was the need to be Scottish that my vision was to help my country to be free through peaceful activism. I still have a handwritten copy of this article and interestingly it includes the phrase 'As the economic climate changed, she gradually realised that the dream (of independence) wasn't as impossible as it seemed.'

What is important here is that this need was foremost in my heart and my mind. I spent my childhood watching biased media representations of my country and my people. Thanks to my English mother, I grew up knowing something was wrong, out of kilter. I felt the disconnection from my heritage. I knew things weren't right.

This vote isn't about policies. It's about a reconnection with who we are. An ability to stand in our own power again. Once we achieve the means to take care of ourselves, the policies can and will be determined, by us and for us. This is the best opportunity we will have in our lifetimes to help steer our country in a new, positive, nurturing direction.

For isn't that one of women's greatest gifts; the ability to nurture. We want to protect our bairns, our family, friends, heck, we want to protect the world itself. But how can we do that when we are denied our sense of identity? How can we make them be proud of themselves when we are isolated from our sense of self? Prevented from making the very decisions that matter most for our kin?

It is our responsibility to make those feelings, the need for connection and the necessity for a return to heart-led politics, vocal and visible. And if we need inspiration to draw from, let us look to the emancipation of our communities, the achievements of the Isles of Eigg and Gigha, of Assynt, in initiating vital change. And remember how important female voices were in achieving those goals. As Alastair McIntosh makes clear in 'Soil and Soul', 'it became more and more apparent that the campaign...was being driven forward, in no small measure, by its womenfolk.'

Admittedly, the fear of change can manifest in a conservative (decidedly with a small c) attitude. My mother, who taught me to be fiercely pro Scottish, is worried about a lot of the 'what ifs' if independence happens.

I get this. I understand her fear. But this is the woman who taught me to be proud. So I can believe. I can stand in my power and have faith that if we take the first step back to owning our country we can achieve greatness. In fact, it's the only choice we have if we want to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.