The Queen: Why celebrate her platinum jubilee?

the queenWith the Platinum Jubilee and associated holiday coming closer it is perhaps a good time to reflect on the idea of ‘lifelong service’ which the Queen placed at the heart of her vows when she began her reign.

The tendency to respect others who embody some positive and admired characteristic is one we can recognise. It can often be in the context of acknowledging we could benefit from similar self-discipline or staying power while at the same time knowing we don’t do the same in our own life. The role model is there, but it is a pattern we admire rather than adopt.

We expect high standards of behaviour from certain groups of people or professions and when this is found wanting the actions of a few can tarnish or undermine the sense of respect and admiration we have for the role in the wider context.

In 2016 when the Queen was 90 years of age the Bible Society produced a book called “The Servant Queen and the King She Serves”. This was a simply written book given to many children and affirmed the Queen’s life was dedicated to fulfilling the role the circumstances meant she came to hold. Her own personal model for a life of service is that of the Lord Jesus as her guiding pattern and a source of personal strength. The sense of living by the Lord’s leading and of living ‘under God’ gives a huge insight into the basis of her life.

We can’t comprehend living our days in such a spotlight while at the same time always being careful of what we say and the potential danger of expressing ‘an opinion’ which could be used to further one cause at the expense of another. Recent times have seen individual members of the Royal Family being viewed in different ways, there is a sometimes very clear distinction between the affection for the Queen herself and the feeling towards others with close links to her, making it very clear how fragile and vulnerable even the highest of offices and or positions of honour can become.

Service is a truly heavenly quality. Doing something for the benefit of others rather than for oneself brings rewards which are felt inside as a ‘warm glow’ which is difficult to describe. We know the self-satisfaction of completing a task, even something relatively small such as clearing away and leaving things tidy so we can relax comfortably knowing there is no unfinished task lurking. That’s a lovely feeling for us, but it is very much for our own benefit.

We can do the tidying up to get on the right side of someone else, to be recognised for being helpful and to gain praise and be thanked for our kindness. Doing that same task, unasked and simply to help someone else, is very different in terms of motivation as the intention is to be helpful with no thought of gaining thanks or appreciation at all. Even though in each case the tidying is done, and the outcome is apparently identical, it’s very different on the inside.

True service is all about doing things for others; the way the Queen, and her late husband Prince Philip, lived their very public life developed into the very deep national affection, respect and love being shown this Jubilee.

It’s hard to think that every single event was enjoyable, that there was no time when it may have been preferable to wish to stay home rather than attend something already in the diary. Yet as we have seen in recent months, her absence is now what is remarked upon precisely because her presence has been so constant and so completely reliable for the past 70 years.

Christine Bank

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Stephen Russell-Lacy is a retired clinical psychologist. He acts as a tutor at the Swedenborg Open Learning Centre. He is interested in the links between various branches of psychology and spirituality.

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