BE OF GOOD CHEER

I'm often inspired to write by something amusing I read in the news and there is the problem.

Recently the news has been lots of doom interspersed with bits of gloom. It seemed to start with the devastation of the Japanese tsunami, then the tragic waste of a huge talent with the death of Amy Winehouse.

Since then we have had the deaths caused by the oppression in Syria and many other countries. More recently came the diabolical shootings of innocent teenagers in Norway and finally the Norwegian polar bear who killed a British lad and injured others.

So apart from the news that there are only 145 shopping days left until Christmas is there any reason not to follow the lemmings over the cliff?

Well yes I believe there is. You see, unlike those Japanese who perished in the wake of the tsunami, unlike Amy Winehouse, unlike the Syrian protesters, unlike the Norwegian teenagers and unlike the polar bear - we are alive. As long as we are alive we have the potential to experience great joy.