The slogan, “Keep Calm and Carry On“, was one of three messages created in 1939 as part of British wartime propaganda to offer the public reassurance in the event of the war. Of the three posters issued, the “Keep Calm and Carry On” message was rarely seen during WWII. In 2000, an original copy of the poster was found in a box of second-hand books bought at an auction by the owners of the Barter Book Shop in Alnwick, England.
The original poster (above) was red and white with a Tudor crown, a symbol of the state, which was considered difficult for adversaries to reproduce. Since the discovery in 2000, the slogan has become wildly popular and has led to many variations of that theme…
such as…Keep Calm and Stay Silent…
By now, many of you will have either seen the Oprah Winfrey interview with Meghan and Harry or have read the fallout from it. Regardless of your opinion of the “Royals”, it exposed what lurks just barely below the surface of polite society. Don’t talk about racism or depression…better to sweep that under the carpet…best to keep a “still upper lip”.
I am Caucasian and can’t credibly comment on racism because I’ve never experienced first hand the negative effects it brings. That doesn’t mean that I am not fully aware that it exists. I do, and have witnessed it (blog post on June 22, 2018). I know how hurtful it is to the one attacked, but ultimately this kind of ignorance hurts us all. Nothing good ever comes from racism, as we have seen in recent years. What’s so troublesome is that racism is on the rise. We know better…
Thankfully, I don’t suffer from depression, but my mom did. I remember her telling me her doctor described it as falling into a deep, dark well with no way of climbing out. I know it was difficult for her to accept her depression as a disease.. to accept not being able to shake the sadness and heaviness that was overwhelming her. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to suffer in silence…to try to manage poor mental health without the help of medical advice and support of loved ones.
Between 10-20% of the population suffer depression at some point in their lives. Women are more likely to have depression than men, and sadly, young people represent the largest demographic. Stress along with many other triggers can contribute to depression… a chemical imbalance, the death of a loved one, job insecurity or unemployment, etc. etc. It’s not surprising that the Coronavirus pandemic has caused so much anguish and mental health issues for so many.
Over 17 million people tuned in as Oprah, a gifted interviewer, provided a platform for Harry and Meghan to share why they split with the Royal family. Regardless of your opinion regarding the information revealed, one thing Meghan said rings very true, “You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.”
The saddest part of this story is the loss of family in a time when we’ve realized more than ever that family and friends really are the most important people in our lives.
This may be a fresh start for Meghan and Harry…a new home, a baby girl on the way and with some luck, a fairy tale happy ending for a Princess and her Prince. They, too, may now keep calm and carry on…
xox Judy