Too big to ignore
The observable universe (measured by the cosmic microwave background radiation) is 13.7 billion years old. I can't even comprehend what 1 billion looks like and that's just the observable universe. It's thoughts like these that make my mind shut down and run away to its safe corner of Harry Potter Fan fiction and recipes for lemon sponge cakes. It's the same with politics.
It seems so overwhelming. There's local politics and all the game playing and allegiances that ferment there. But that's not all you have to factor in. It quickly expands to national and international politics and with that policies, agendas and relationships too until your lost in a sea of statistics and crying on your friends shoulder about how you just want a 1% pay increase.
It's hard when navigating through all of that not to run away to my safe place but sometimes something jumps out that feels so important that I can't run away. I can't ignore. I have to get involved and get informed.
On the 22nd of May, my home country Ireland, could become the first country in the world to pass marriage equality by a popular, national vote. The first poll of 2015 has shown that 76% of the public are in favour of a yes vote. This alongside successful viral campaigns like the #RingyourGranny campaign, may present a picture of whack out the champagne, logic and humanity have prevailed!! But unfortunately, dark forces lurk in the background.
There is still an adamant No campaign coming from the Catholic Church a and it's lobby groups which seems to rely on Helen Lovejoy's mantra “won't somebody please think of the children?!”. And you may scoff at it's ridiculousness but a similar campaign meant that the referendum for divorce was only won by the tiny margin of 0.56% of the ballots cast.
So the tension is building. I can feel it even here in London where if I want to vote I must take the flight home as though, I am still an Irish citizen, we are not offered the opportunity to vote from overseas. And you may scoff at its ridiculousness but it's a flight I'm hoping to take. Somethings are just too big to be ignored. Sometimes you stay instead of run.
For more information on the upcoming vote on Marriage Equality in Ireland see here: http://www.marriagequality.ie/getinformed/