Folklore and stories can be interpreted in so many ways, the threads woven together in many wondrous and varied colours to form huge tapestries and tales of wonder and that is one part of their beauty and allure. Another is their call to action, for that is what they also are.

Food connects me to my family, to my ancestors, to a land distant but important nonetheless. This is what is meant by soul food, the food we share with those we love. Memories made without even trying. The every day made magic. Spanning cultures and times.

Trees are symbols of this cycle, of this ever turning wheel. They signify the seasons, and show the incremental changes that occur as the wheel creaks ever onwards; the blossom of spring, the lush green of early summer, the fruits of late summer and early autumn. The dramatic colour show and loss that mark late autumn and the bare branches and evergreens of winter.

A reminder to reach out to those in your community who want to see the same things as you, freedom from oppression and poverty; empathy. Form those community groups. We don’t have to like everyone in those communities, and you won’t either, that’s just human nature, but our shared goals and values are what unite us.

According to many biologists, there is as much cooperation in nature as there was competition. The story we have been taught about our innate selfishness is only part of the truth. As such, it is capitalist propaganda, and something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

As the pressure builds, we know we cannot carry on as we have been doing. We, as a species, will reap what we have sown, in one way or another, for I feel we are too far gone for anything else.

So what does this mean when it comes to community building and forging solidarity links? Quite simply it means that you must be willing to take action of some sort. The time for such is now. And if there’s nothing happening in your neighbourhood or town, then you must be willing to step forward, to create the narrative you want to see. It may be scary but you must try and you might well be surprised with the outcome.

Yellows, purples and deep blues flit by, easily missed by most, or seen and unseen, scenery and nothing more. The beauty of the wildflowers, their existence forgotten if noticed at all and all before they’ve disappeared from view. All of this glimpsed as I stare out the window, seeking something other than the endless roads stretching ahead lined with traffic spewing fumes, the endless grey of industry and business.

"We [White people] have no sense of shared identity with our neighbors, and no sense of shared purpose. We have no notion that our wellbeing is tied up with that of the people we live next to or share a building with. It is the ultimate in alienation. So much else flows from that." (From Eli Sterling)

I don't have the time to waste in these arguments any longer. I can feel the clouds gathering on the horizon. The storm is coming, and when it does, there will be no time left for pointless arguments and accusations.

Recognising the tools that are used to divide us is the first step in fighting back.