You might have noticed that I started putting a certain emoji next to my name a lot: 🧶. Equally, some of my profile pictures on social media platforms have changed over the past few days into the icon visible here: A thick red ball of yarn.
Why? A friend of mine put it best: In essence, this ball of yarn expresses a promise to be nice. We – some students at the College of Europe – started using it as a symbol of knitting a warm and comfortable, cosy network of trust. As a symbol of connection; growing closer to each other, treating each other with respect and consideration. It is connected to a pledge we wrote, that we hope shall guide us – like an Ariadne’s thread – through the labyrinths of our lives.
So if you see this symbol, online or in the streets of Bruges or Brussels or wherever on the world: You can think of this pledge – someone promising to be nice! 🙂 If you want to know more about the creation of this pledge, the philosophical theory behind it, I have written a long blog post with a explanation. It’s complicated. One thing however is very simple: If you like the symbol and the thought – start using it! 🧶
Take care! 🧶