The seaside and

Our expectations at this point are very very low. When we hear that a lie has been exposed, one that previously spread like wildfire because it demonised Israel, we know the exposure will not be reported.

Take the latest, the one about Gazan children starving. One that was wildly reported that 14000 children would die.

A new report shows that Gaza has very little malnutrition without countries coming above it. Syria- now that does have many children suffering from malnutrition.

Not that the world’s media or left wing luvvies will tell you that.

But we now do not expect this to be reported.

We knew that Boy George would get attacked on the press and online. We knew that him forgoing his role in Jesus Christ Superstar was because he would get attacked for just being there. We knew the song would be controversial just because it said it stood with Jews .

We know governments care more about their votes than they do about protecting their Jews. We know that antisemitism is spreading and institutions do their best to spread it.

And we know it on a more personal level too. We know those friends we haven’t heard from in nearly 3 years are not picking up a phone any time soon. We know work colleagues avoid us or neighbours pretend everything is done with us even when we tell them otherwise. We have very low expectations.

We know our lives have shrunk or that we rarely move out of our bubble unless we have to. We know that if we travel we will probably see graffiti and the like that makes us uncomfortable. We know there are places that would rather not have us there and they are getting more by the day. Crete, a lovely Greek island, seems to be hell bent on making Israelis unwelcome.

We expect little from the world and mainly, it does not fail to disappoint.

I remember writing one early morning in December 2023 by the beach as the sun rose in Scarborough and taking a few moments of quiet to enjoy the beach and the sea and gain strength from it. I did not know then that nearly 3 years later I would facing the tsunami of hate we have now or that our world perspective would have changed forever.

But again, I am sat by a beach at 6.30 but in Northumberland, enjoying the peace and the sound of the waves calming me. This part of the country is not only beautiful but abundant in friendliness. It is not an option to sit quietly enjoying your drink, everyone chats. On my walk, greeted with cheery good mornings, not the dip of the head you often get.

We are often angry, often upset and hurt, a little paranoid and emotional these days. We are resigned to a new life and sad to see real tolerance disappear and fake loyalty take its place. We seem to have lost our way and daily see a world that is unable to find its way back to the one we knew.

But just occasionally, when a celeb speaks out, when a rare media report is nuanced, when Boy George’s song is played loudly as marchers wanting to kill us pass by, or when you are sat on a beach in Northumberland, you can smile and take a little pleasure from it all again.

As I said, expectations are low but we can still have a wry smile, a deep breath and get on with life.

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