The View From My Study 24 January 2025

Och aye the noo! Tomorrow is Robert Burns Day and over the next two nights there will be suppers and ceilidhs all over the United Kingdom in celebration of this beloved Scottish poet. As someone whose parents championed their local Caledonian society, I know how to Strip The Willow alongside The Dashing White Sergeant and I have many happy memories of Burns Night suppers.

Few writers embody the spirit of neighbourliness better than Robert Burns although, it’s true, his words can be hard to decipher sometimes. His works often celebrate the shared humanity that goes beyond social class, geography and circumstance. In his poem A Man’s a Man for A’ That, Burns expresses a belief in equality and brotherhood, envisioning a world where people recognize their shared worth regardless of their differences.

In To a Mouse Burns again speaks of the connection between beings, demonstrating his compassion for even the smallest creatures. His heartfelt apology to the field mouse for disrupting its home is a nod to the importance of living harmoniously with those around us; it is a lesson in humility and thoughtfulness that is at the heart of neighbourly relations.

Neighbourliness is a virtue that strengthens communities. It is the simple act of extending kindness and support to those who live around us and it has been our area of focus in school this week. In many ways, our common goal at BG is very simple – to produce children that are good people with whom others want to be.

Burns’ words inspire us to nurture connections within our communities. By embodying the virtues he cherished – kindness, equality and empathy – we honour not only his memory but also the values of neighbourliness that are so important each and every day.