On Thursday night, a few of us got together for an informal discussion on our views of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. John Callaghan had been brave enough to move forward with this idea, following on from Monday’s discussion regarding the future of Northern Ireland and Ireland. My thoughts on the evening are brief, but I believe them to be worthy of comment.
That evening there was a real sense of community and a desire to understand and hear each person out. I think the fact that everybody ended up making some comment proves that the environment was conducive to openness. Being honest and vulnerable often leads to a profound respect for where people come from. There is no point in pretending to be someone you are not, because eventually you will get found out. Being sensitive to the diverse backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints that exist is absolutely crucial, and evidently we can learn much and enrich our own understanding by hearing the views and experiences of others. We must be willing to learn, willing to understand and willing to develop and potentially change our mindset. I believe much can be achieved when we stop and listen, and for me, listening to each individual story that evening, was a great achievement for WIP.
