Walnut lives

I am a criminal.

Before you send the boys in blue to my doorstep let me explain what I mean because you’ll probably have to call them to get you as well. You see, you are implicated in my crime; you are an accessory after the fact.

The reason I say this is that crime is never a one-man job. It is an event that affects several lives. Each crime is like cracking open a walnut with a hammer. Every single piece of the walnut has the potential to feel what has happened.

But you may decide that I haven’t committed a crime after all, so there won’t be any need for officials to come and get me and swing lights in my face to extract a confession to my dark deeds. I guess I’d better clarify what a crime is because there are many different definitions of a crime.

Crimes can be seen as acts that are against the law or they are deemed to be acts that are against the moral code. This means that crimes are not fixed in nature. According to some societies things I do daily would be considered a crime. But if I don’t consider them a crime am I guilty? Questionable point I’m sure you’ll agree.

The truth is crime is relative to those defining criminality. Regardless of the source of the definition it is universally agreed that each crime still has a ripple effect.

Back to my criminal activities. I’m sure you want to know how I breach either the national or moral laws. I’ll get to that in a moment ... maybe (now I’ve started to open up I’m not sure I want this to be ‘used in evidence against me!’).

So instead I’ll give an example of another possibly ‘unrelated to me’ crime I think will prove my point.

Here goes: I am aware of adult people who are in love with each other. (OK, you may be wondering where this is leading - just hang on for a few minutes we’ll get there.) These people have been together for many years, they have a home together and they share time with each other. (They may or may not have children.) They have a deep emotional connection and understanding of each other. They support and comfort each other through the highs and lows of daily life. Anyway, this is the scene. Can you see how criminally negligent these two people are?

No?

OK. I’ll give you another example to clarify it somewhat.

I am aware of adult people who are in love with each other. (Are you wondering if this is duplicated from above? Well spotted, Sherlock.) These people have been together for many years, they have a home together and they share time with each other. (They may or may not have children.) They have a deep emotional connection and understanding of each other. They support and comfort each other through the highs and lows of daily life. Anyway, this is the scene. Can you see how criminally negligent these two people are?

Again you answer no. Given the evidence I am not surprised by your response.

The situations are the same but one couple is deemed criminal because they are the same. Two women who love each other or two men who love each other. These people (let’s not forget that they are loving each other, being each other’s companion, friend and confidant) have been judged to be breaking a moral or national law because of their innate capacity to love another adult human being.

One couple in my identical examples is commended for its ability to love, the other couple is condemned. This is where the crime exists I think, not in the love but in blindness in the face of reason and facts.

And if I was on any jury selected to rule on either of these cases I would have to cast my vote in favour of allowing both couples to live their lives of love in peace.

Alas (or rather I should say, fortunately), I am not the one doing any judging on the freedom of love.

It’s at times like this that I think ‘would the decision be the same if the situation was reversed’? Would the outcome be the same if the people making the judgement were the majority instead of the minority?

Those who are morally branded criminals because of their love are constantly under the same stress as the innocent walnut; it is just a walnut, that’s its nature.

However, the external pressure of society breaks through the shell of the walnut as if it had been bashed with a hammer. The pieces fly in all directions and some bits are damaged beyond repair. For the pieces that do survive they have to exist in a angst filled environment, never knowing what is going to happen next. The person doing the damage is also affected by their actions of condemnation and attempted destruction. The ripples of this crime will continue to flow outwards.

This may be a familiar or alien example to you. However, I’m sure you can think of a situation in your own life when you feel intensely under pressure and, although you are right in what you are doing others may make you feel as if you are wrong. This always causes stress.

So, I’m suggesting that one of the things you can do when the stress of being a cracked walnut makes your life break into fragments that ... you actually eat walnuts. Walnuts really help to relieve stress despite the pressure they are put under. Then you can just continue being yourself and I believe you will prove to be the greatest benefit to yourself and others at this time. You see, no matter what state they are in walnuts always give benefits.

It is my opinion that just because someone calls you a criminal doesn’t make it true.: especially where love is concerned.

But according to some definitions I am a criminal because I believe in allowing people to love each other naturally. Bring on the handcuffs ...