Sunday 11th November

Sometimes I am so busy that I forget things.  Things which are important.  Amongst all the bad news, the way people constantly mistreat each other, the unimaginable cruelty, the disregard for other people and their lives, the criminality that goes on at every level of society, the benefit scroungers, the rich putting money in tax-avoidance schemes, the politicians in the pocket of big business, the cosying up to Murdoch, the mutual back-slapping as they enrich club members, the cruelty and neglect of chlldren – both by ignorant parents and cruel care staff, the horrors of the revelations of the Welsh children’s homes, the unnecessary poverty all over the world, the starving children, the diseases that can be cured, the deliberately broken limbs of professional beggars, the unkindness you meet at every turn, the selfishness of the haves and the lack of imagination of most peoples lives.

I may have forgotten to mention that this is still a good time and place to live, people can be kind, people do look out for their neighbours, our young people are often very helpful and so talented, there is an acceptance of people who may be a different colour, or race or sexuality than us but on the whole we embrace them, there still is a good health service, there still is help if you lose your job, most people still have families that are far kinder than when I was a boy, there is Art all around us and most of it is free, there are hundreds of TV and radio stations offering free entertainment, there are wonderful films being made, exciting music is out there, and there is love.  Above all there is love.  So I apologise if I have forgotten to mention these things occasionally.

Here endeth today’s lesson.