Dear friend,

I hope you have been keeping well.  We are living in difficult changing times.  Covid has taken a back seat and the war on Ukraine has taken it’s place.  

It’s easy to become disheartened about the sad state of affairs on our beautiful planet, but what I’m noticing is an emerging unity.  Many examples of compassion and solidarity.  We are paying more attention to the needs of others.  We are finding resilience and inner strength. 

It is important that we maintain our self-care practises so we can be grounded and keep hope and peace alive in our hearts.

Avaaz, an organisation that uses online compaigning for a better world has now got over 69 million people worldwide who sign petitions to effect change.   If you would like to sign a petition calling for an end to war and nuclear weapons click here, it will only take a few seconds.  The numbers of people involved in taking global action are growing all the time.  I remember when there were only  a few million members and that’s not because I’m so old! 

Speaking of which, it’s my birthday tomorrow, it’s a big one and actually one I have been looking forward to for years!  When I was younger I felt when I got to 50 I would be confident enough to fully be myself and not care about what others thought.  In the meantime I decided I couldn’t wait that  long so I’ve been in training  for the last 10 years! I hope my younger self will be  happy with me tomorrow!

I’d like to share a song I wrote on this theme. It features in my book Letting Go.

To celebrate my birthday,I will be having giveaways this month.  Keep an eye out on social media! @clairemariebarton

‘Till next time,

Love & blessings,

Claire x