Why best intentions went up in smoke for Sheena

Sheena was quite looking forward to getting her mum a birthday present.

She had remembered in good time, she had plenty of spare cash and time to go shopping.

So, she told her mum she could have anything she wanted.

Mum said: “The best

TWO YEAR OLD Melissa was keeping mum Helen on her toes as they walked through the shopping mall.

The little one ran happily this way and that way. Then she spotted an elderly lady leaving a shop, leaning on her zimmer frame. Immediately fascinated Melissa went for a closer look. She then actually matched the lady’s stop-start mode of walking. They exchanged a laugh before going their separate ways.

“I found myself thinking about legs that once were young,” Melissa told me, “and legs that will one day be old. For those few minutes I understood it doesn’t matter how slowly or quickly we walk through life. What matters is that, every once in a while, we take time to walk with someone at their pace.” present you could give me would be to stop smoking.”

Sheena says that really took the shine off the experience. It felt like mum had cheated, or was being cheeky, or had asked for too much.

Come the day of the party, she hugged her mum, gave her a card and told her she hadn’t smoked for a week. That was three years ago and both of them are still delighted by it. The gifts that mean the most can’t be bought in shops.

The very best gifts are almost always something of ourselves.

MANDY thought her dad was being supportive – for about five seconds! Her toddler was having a strop after not getting her own way. Dad watched as she tried to sort it out.

“Don’t be embarrassed by her behaviour,” he said. She caught the glint in his eye as he added: “Be embarrassed that you used to do exactly the same thing!”

“It was just banter,” she said, “but there was a truth behind it.”

I thought I was about to hear some admissions about bad behaviour, but Mandy explained: “If we could all remember how we behaved when we were tired, hungry and our nappy needed changing, then we wouldn’t judge anyone else too harshly!”

A true friend is a blessing, So cherish them with care, How good to have them in our life, And know they’re always there; A comfort when we’re lonely A joy when we are sad What strength and inspiration Of them we should be glad