What Prick Bursts Your Balloon?
Physicists tell us that once you inflate a balloon with regular, atmospheric air, the air inside will have a greater pressure than the atmospheric air pressure outside.
In simple terms, the air in the balloon is inflated beyond its normal state. A risky situation in any circumstance and an apt description for many of the hopes we create.
Balloons are volatile because they trap pressurised air in a light and delicate skin. They are susceptible to being pricked and deflated, like our ambitions, plans and expectations about relationships and life.
It only takes a prick to deflate a balloon.
The sounds of popping balloons were everywhere these last twelve days as careers bit the dust, the economy trembled and many people, who thought their planned future was secure, realised how easy it is to pop those balloons.
The prickers were out in force:-
The careers of ambitious men – pricked.
The dream of a united Europe – pricked.
The hope of a secure pound and recovering economy – pricked.
The re-launch of a successful Top Gear – pricked.
The plans of savers and investors – pricked.
Keeping the advantages of EU but without responsibilities – pricked.
The view of the England team as a force in world football – pricked.
The plans of many to have a happy retirement – pricked.
The resurgence of manufacturing - pricked
The pricking went on and on, leaving many in the country deflated, causing dismay and disbelief in the rest of the world.
Many of those who did the pricking left the scene quickly. Prickers tend to do that.
The range and status of the fleeing prickers exceeded all estimates as they scrambled for a different exit to that which they had encouraged the country to take. Like the captain of Costa Concordia, they left the castaways sitting on their little rock, somewhere off the mainland, waiting for the tide to go out so that they could walk back to the port they had just left.
Many voters huffed and puffed to blow up their new balloon of restored sovereignty and self-determination. Their balloon of unlimited freedom is already being pricked by the pragmatic politicians, the dour economists and the financial wheeler-dealers who run things: more prickers with a new balloon to deflate.
The doom mongers surveying the landscape of deflated balloons are warning us to prepare for the apocalypse about to burst upon us like a storm. More prickers in disguise.
Life will go on being a grind for many people. Some will work hard and make the most of the predicted mess: others will take advantage. Most people will tighten their belts and survive. Somehow we managed to find our way through every crisis I can remember, starting with the aftermath of the Second World War. It took a mere twenty years of hardship to see that out of the way as we flowered into the ‘60s and began our journey to the next new crisis. Then there was another crisis after that and then the next one and just as that got out of the way the following one rolled over us. We have been like a surfer waiting for the best wave to shoot him to the beach only to be rolled over and over by every wave that comes while waiting for the big one that gives the ride to success.
The South Sea Bubble in 1720 was not the last time the nation experienced a big balloon burst.
The hopeful news is - people always go forward. When a prick deflates one balloon we find another balloon to huff and puff into life. Only positive people and those with creative puff need step forward at this point.
Those espousing sovereignty should find another King Arthur to ride to the rescue, a mega puffer and huffer of balloons if ever there was one. Look for someone who will accept Excalibur from the hand in the lake where we are drowning and unite the country, create prosperity and show the way to the new world of peace, security and self-determination, where only the best for everyone will be allowed?
Along the way we might learn how to deal with the little pricks.
