Thoughts on ‘thought for the week’

Sir,

Although privileged to count Marilyn Shedden as one of my closest friends, I rarely know in advance

what ‘thought for the week’ is about, as I prefer to enjoy reading it on the day it is published.

Whatever this week’s ‘thought’ will concern, I know that Marilyn’s modesty will prevent it from covering the extent and content of the correspondence she has received since her column was criticised in last week’s Courier letters.

Support has come from a wide and diverse range of readers. This speaks volumes regarding the breadth that Marilyn deliberately encompasses within ‘thought’ – sometimes biblical, often charming anecdotes about the people who make up the rich fabric of our communities, on occasions concerning her beautiful Rough Collies, Carys and Jazz, at other times on world events and gentle challenges to social conscience.

The capacity of ‘thought’ to have something for everyone is why so many people value it and why there was sadness at how it was treated in last week’s letter.

Marilyn would be the first to recognise that not

everyone can always agree with her views. Marilyn would be the last to be ungracious about another person and criticise him or her in the way she herself was last week. Catriona Hood, Whitehouse