It was the better part of a decade ago, on a DVD about emerging church that I saw an interview with a Methodist minister who said that when he found himself having to give an account to God of how he had spent his life that he would say, "I tried."

As I've tried to process the outcome of the EU referendum and the fall out from in, those words have surfaced from the recesses of my mind.  When I look back, when whatever happens has happened, will I honestly be able to say, "I tried"?

There's the online petition for a second referendum, which we have now been told won't happen.  I finally signed it today, because I felt my gut reaction, whilst realistic, was defeatist: I felt it wouldn't make any difference.  Except that it has made a difference, in so far as that, when I last checked there were over 3,800,000 signatures... and growing.  Partly it is significant because this peition was raised by someone who was pro-leave in response to a comment from the UKIP leader; there is something that appeals about subverting that intent (or that's how I see it).  Perhaps some of those almost four million people have discovered something important...

Then there are the more thought out responses, such as this one regarding the need to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act in order for Britain to leave the EU.  Essentially, it boils done to a suggestion to email your MP and ask them to oppose such a motion (i.e. oppose the repeal).  It's relatively easy for me, as I have an MP whose party strongly supports remain, not so easy for those who MPs were pro-leave.  It takes only a few minutes, and it is fairly easy to do (go here, find your MP and off you go)

So that's my short term "I tried" - at least when it's all done I won't wonder if it might have made a difference if I had done these things.

But there is so much more than the vote and it's out-working legally, there is the ugly xenophobia and blame-culture that is emerging.  Signing the odd petition or sending an email is pretty easy, standing up for truth, love, justice, fairness... these are more challenging.  So I will go on trying to live out the values I espouse, whatever the outcome short or long term.

If any of my readers voted leave, I bear them no ill will, indeed I hope we would remain literal or virtual friends. 

Democracy gives us the freedom to choose - we, none of us, can always like the outcome.  I can live with an outcome I didn't choose.  I will work for reconciliation between people who disagree.  And I will continue to do what I do, the best I can, to incarnate the faith I hold.