New Friends

In the last three days I have seen plenty of hate. I went out in support of my fellow human beings. I went out in support of people having a right to worship without fear.

A wonderful friend suggested that we needed to stand with our community and I completely agreed with her. So we looked at what we could do and set up an event on social media. We shared it around and first came the hate. 

We were called names and at least one threat was sent to us, but as more and more people showed their love and support the hate was drowned out. I have now received love and support from hundreds of people. I am so truly over whelmed to have been able to stand with all these wonderful people and firmly tell the haters that they only increase my need to and ability to love those they hate. 

The haters make me see how truly amazing the people who welcomed strangers with open arms, who cooked for us, chatted with us, hugged us, laughed with us and mourned with us are. These are the people I want around me, they are so opposite to those who are so filled with hate. These are people who are so filled with love and by the end of the day none of them were strangers.  

I have never felt so welcomed by complete strangers in my entire life. As we chatted we found that our similarities far outweighed any differences. There was a level of hospitality I have never seen and I learnt so much from them and will never be able to express my gratitude for how we were received.

My thanks go to everyone we met, everyone who shared and especially to Susie who it would never have happened without. I have seen the best and worst of what humanity has to offer and learnt that there is far more of the good people. 

I stand with those full of love. I will never forget those people I have met today. Thank you for showing so much compassion at such a difficult time. We are Manchester.