It sometimes takes a child to keep the peace

Peter had fallen out with his mother-in-law.

When collecting his son from his gran’s, he would wait in the car while wife Sarah went in to get their child. The situation had gone on for about two months, until three-year-old Troy decided to do something about it.

Sarah came back to the car without the HAVING a decent reach on me I am often asked by smaller shoppers to get something down from higher supermarket shelves.

Lizzie and I were having a chuckle about it in the dairy aisle after she had contemplated climbing up on to her trolley to get some lactose-free milk.

At a few inches short of five feet, she has probably asked for help getting things from high shelves hundreds of times.

“And, you know what?” she said. “I have never once been refused or asked anyone who said they were too busy.”

A tiny little example of the milk of human kindness, perhaps. But life is made up of little things. And as a “little thing” herself, Lizzie appreciates all those small kindnesses. little boy, saying he refused to come unless dad came to get him like he used to. Nothing would budge him.

When Peter, his motherin-law and little Troy were in the same place, and under the boy’s watchful eyes, well... they had to talk. And be nice to each other.

Now things are back to normal in the family and Peter is wondering where one so young got such skills in diplomacy and peace-keeping.

I envisage a bright future at the United Nations for young Troy! EVERY morning, when Elizabeth drops her son off at school, she sees a young man standing at a crossroads with a sign saying: “Have a wonderful day. You are worth it!”

Her opinion of him and his mission has varied between “sweet” and “weird”. But on Monday past, the rain was hammering down and he was still standing there with his sign. The only concession he made to the weather was to pull a hood up. She was impressed with his dedication towards other people having good days and thought that, with his hood up, he looked like some kind of guard.

“A sentinel of kindness is what I thought he looked like,” Elizabeth told me. “And could we do with more people taking kindness as seriously as that?”

A smile can mean just everything, Shows more than words could say, Conveying cheer and friendliness, Love and encouragement amid the grey;

A smile can lighten up a room, Stamp memories within the heart, Your smile can make a difference,

And in life play a part.