Francis Gay MY WEEK

LYNNE wanted to show me her daughter’s school news book and explain why it had brought her to tears.

Six-year-old Emmie had written about playing with friends, going to the Disney shop, her birthday party, being at a kids’ show and so on. Almost every entry ended with a version of the words: “And it was a great day!”

Then Lynne showed me her news book from when she had been the same age. Her news was a bit more home-spun and usually cost-free, but most of the entries ended with something like: “And it was a great day!”

“The thing is,” Lynne explained, “mum and dad battled constantly back then. Home life was far from happy. My news was always just wishful thinking. Emmie’s is real.”

If you wish hard enough for long enough... A REGULAR part of Martin’s job as a minister is visiting family who have lost a loved one.

If he didn’t know them personally he tries to encourage the family to share memories he can later include in the eulogy. Sometimes it’s difficult. At other times people are only too glad to chat.

Recently he had his best ever response. The adults of the family had done all the talking so he turned to the silent teenage boy, asking what he remembered about grandad.

The boy squirmed, a little embarrassed at being spoken to directly on such a delicate subject. He hesitated a moment, then said: “I just remember him laughing.”

As a grandad himself, who wouldn’t want to be the cause of his grandchildren’s distress, Martin thought that was just the perfect parting gift.

Well done, sir!