2016: Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile

2016: Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile

It’s once again that time of year. The last few weeks of the year have been reserved for reflection, relaxation and the recharging of batteries. Mariah Carey is back on the radio, we are confronted with a string of annual reviews again and our memories are stimulated by classics from days gone by.

If I had to pick one classic number which perfectly describes 2016 for me, it would be “Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)”. The title of this instrumental song by Carlos Santana from 1976 was undoubtedly inspired by Greek mythology, where the Supreme God Zeus fell in love with the mortal Europa and eventually kidnapped her.

But in this troubled world of 2016 it certainly also conjures up associations with the chaos of this period. Europe is under fire and appears to be more mortal than ever before since it was launched as a binding ‘Peace Project’ in the nineteen fifties, in order to avoid the countries within this continent fighting each other again. And now, in the year of 2016, it’s the populists who have hijacked Europe as the Supreme Gods and who have started to sow discord, in the wake of the growing fear for religious violence and the increased threat from the East.

The song is performed by a Mexican American, which has instantly crossed that bridge to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The Angry Citizen of current times prefers walls over bridges. The limits of globalisation have been reached. Every man for himself and the Supreme Gods for us all.

But the song is also one of hope. Not just because heaven is smiling down on us because of the many heroes of our youth who have come knocking on heaven’s gates this past year: Johan Cruijff, Mohammed Ali, David Bowie, Prince, Toots Thielemans. The long sweep which is so typical of the song is a real tearjerker, but also offers a look beyond the horizon. Beyond the once again exciting 2017, with elections in several major Western European countries fast approaching.

Europe was once designed as a community, with the aim of working on joint prosperity and wellbeing; as a connecting element between nations; as a whole which is more than the sum of its parts; as an instrument to strengthen each other’s strengths and absorb each other’s weaknesses; as a fraternising unit in diversity, with respect for each other’s cultures and achievements. Something the Gods could truly fall in love with.

Isn’t that the essence of associations as a connecting element?

On behalf of the staff and management team at Lejeune Association Management, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a successful 2017, during which we hope to welcome you to our new premises.

Jules Lejeune
Managing Director