Crime of the Century...........

Hullo ma wee blog,

Supertramps 1974 album 'Crime of the Century'. For me, one of those seminal albums that perfectly framed a moment in time and space. Without a weak track on its playlist, it was a big part of me at that defining time in adolescence when music takes you away from childhood and points to greater things; a better understanding; a bigger world; departure from what is comfortable, known and safe into other possibilities and realities.

Deep stuff, but music does that when you're only fifteen and hormones and angst compete equally fervently for your attention. It made deep impressions and this album means a lot to me. Over the years I've spent lots of time in its company, often with earphones on, lights off and laid out horizontal on floor or bed. Usually its been at ear crushing volume, blocking out an outside world so I could lose myself in music and lyric, so I could think and come to terms with some problem or worry about who I was or where I might be going.

With that kind of connection it's not surprising then that I turn to its familiar comfort when things sometimes disturb my equilibrium, shake my world view or just really T me off.



I shook hands with it once again the other day coming home from stepping in to cover a colleague at a Childrens Hearing session he couldn't cover.

Prepping yourself familiar with the cases via social work background and school reports gives you a handle on the complexities of a case but you know you have something unusually chaotic when the family is accompanied by two big burly specimens of Her Majesties Lothian and Borders Constabulary who are there to protect the social work representative and the panel members.

No matter at the end of a case when right decisions have been made to secure and keep safe a child of only a few months, it stays with you how unjust life is to some children who are denied the birthright of a loving, nurturing family and who have to be protected against parents who not only consistently fail to put that completely vulnerable wee life's needs before their own selfish desires, but absolutely deny any responsibility or wrong doing as they do it and then scream the place down for THEIR human rights when someone steps in and does something about protecting the best interests of the child. For me that's the real crime of the century.

Bringing up a child is one of the most incredible responsibilities of life, bringing joy, fulfilment and fear in equal measures. Most people manage to do it incredibly well. Some don't. Some need help. Some need a kick in the arse. Some, perhaps should be prevented from being parents in the first place if they can't take simple, honest advice and offers of support.

I don't know what it's like to struggle to raise a family well, to lie awake and worry about making the right choices and to provide the best you can for your children. I don't have any.

I don't really know what it's like to be a parent, but I do know what it's like not to be.

On balance I think that helps sometimes.

see you later.

listening to The Cars 'Drive'