Francis Gay

A sideways look at life:

The summer season’s fading fast, How quickly it’s passed by, Soon our swallows will depart, As southwards they must fly. We should try and make the most, Of each late summer’s day, To sustain us in the coming months, And in our memory stay.

was part of a group who walked Ben Lomond for a cleft palate charity last week. The walk was a difficult one for a bunch of beginners. And the top half of the hill was in cloud, so they didn’t even have the view to cheer them up. But…

“The people coming downhill,” she told me, “those who had already reached the summit, were endlessly encouraging, telling us how well we had done, how we were almost there, and so on. It occurred to me they might be like that because not long before they had been struggling and suffering like us. They had been where we were and probably knew how much they would have appreciated the encouragement. Now… imagine that mountain was life.” So, I did. I imagined an endless round of struggling people being helped, then going on to help others in the same situations. It was a beautiful walk.

Nicola posted a photo of her daughter in a blue rose-patterned dress on social media.

Her sister Mandy commented, “Hmm, that looks familiar,” and posted a photo of her daughter wearing what seemed to be the same dress. Then their sister-in-law Louise posted a photo of her daughter wearing the same dress. She explained that Mandy had given it to her and she passed it on to Nicola. Their daughters had taken turns wearing it.

When Louise told Mandy she had gotten her money’s worth, Mandy pointed out that her mum had bought it. Not knowing she was doing it, Mum helped all her granddaughters feel beautiful with one dress.

It’s like any other act of kindness. You never know who you will end up helping. Like any other act of kindness – but much cuter!

Carol was fed up with the woman down the street ignoring her.

She decided to confront her about it. Then she had another idea. She decided to be extra nice each time they met.

Eventually – awkwardly – they started talking. Once they were getting on better, Carol, in pretend innocence, commented on how long it had taken them to become friends. The neighbour blushed and admitted that when she first saw Carol she mistook her for someone who had hurt a family member, so she snubbed her.

Having been rude once, she found it increasingly more difficult to be anything else. She was glad Carol didn’t seem to have taken offence.

Carol neglected to mention the row she had almost started, and offered her new friend another cuppa.

I wonder how many of our fall-outs are actually caused by misunderstanding. I couldn’t suggest a figure. But, wouldn’t it be nice to behave as if they all were?

Morag had bagged her shopping before she realised she’d come to the shop without cards or cash.

She was about to put the groceries back on the shelves when an older man offered to pay for her. She protested that he didn’t have to.

“For the past few weeks, I’ve visited my wife in hospital every day,” he explained. “I always bought her something; flowers, sweets…She always told me not to bother but, you know, it was my way of expressing my love for her.

“Today, I can’t buy her anything, but I still need to express that love, so…you’d be helping me, really.”

Morag accepted. And after the cashier took the money, she joined Morag in giving the kind stranger a heartfelt hug.

Then she went home and hugged her husband and each of her children.