MY WEEK BY FRANCIS GAY

Sweet! The hospital kids leave feeling choca-hoop

Tills are ringing, carol singing, Lighted windows all aglow, Happy excited children, Festivities in full flow. Spare a thought for those alone, At this special time of year, A welcome call would make their day, And bring some Christmas cheer.

Ispent some time in the emergency ward recently, with a friend who was well cared for and is now on the road to recovery.

Now, I could talk about waiting times, I could talk about NHS funding, or I could happily praise our nurses, doctors, and ancillary workers, but...we were next to the paediatric wards and we noticed that every child who left there carried a Christmas Selection Box and wore a smile. I am sure that many hospitals have good-hearted volunteers collecting and distributing gifts of different types to children at this time of year. And behind each of them will be an army of inspirational donors giving to patients they will never meet.

But, this was Crosshouse Hospital, and

I am picking out the Christmas Angel who organised those selection boxes – and those smiles. I’m talking about you, Michael from Kilwinning. Bless your wonderful heart, sir...

After being let down by her employers, Janie decided to start her own cleaning business.

The other day she arrived at an elderly man’s house, only to be told there was no cleaning required. His daughter had booked her, but he’d already taken care of the housework. Janie went to leave, but it was a cold day and he offered a cup of tea. So, for the next hour they sat and talked. When she had to leave, he gave her “wages”. She protested that she hadn’t done any work. He replied, “You have no idea how much a little company has added to my day.”

“It was lovely, but sad at the same time,” Janie told me. “Perhaps my next business venture should be just chatting with people.”

She was joking, but she would offer a valuable and very worthwhile service.

The children all seemed to be enjoying the primary school carol service.

Except one girl, who played with her hair and didn’t even pretend to sing. Everything about her said she’d rather be elsewhere.

Then came the carol with a dip in the middle. The music was supposed to fade away, then come back louder. But, after the fade, the stronger singers all looked at each other to see who was going to start again. For a second or two there was a confusion of false starts, then one clear voice cut through the muddle, carrying the song and allowing the others to follow.

Amazingly, it was the little girl who didn’t seem to want to be there! And she slipped away as soon as she could at the end. We all have different comfort zones and different abilities – and leadership often comes from the most surprising places.

I was looking for a little praise from Ruth for finishing my Christmas shopping before Christmas Eve.

She burst my self-congratulatory bubble with the words, “I did mine by the end of November.”

In a sombre moment, I remembered she didn’t have many people in her life to buy for.

But, she explained, “I bought 75 gifts. And three advent calendars with pockets. “Once they were filled, one went to a women’s refuge, one to a homeless hostel, one went to a children’s home, with instructions for a different person to open a drawer each day. “Then, over Christmas, I go away for a few days.”

Well, even Santa gets a break on Boxing Day.

Yours will be very well deserved, Ruth!