There are times when everything looks dire and I cannot imagine that a better day is coming.
We all have those days I guess.
Luckily they get spread around sufficiently so that when I am down someone close to me is always up and willing to reach out a hand to help. If there is one good thing about the bad times it is this magical formula.
I have had a week of bad days, a mountain of reasons to doubt that decency and common sense will ultimately prevail over the sun-storm flare-ups of negativity and criticism.
Life is tough enough without people being so eager to believe the worst that they rush headlong in the wrong direction, then turn and defend it, instead of saying, "Perhaps I have been a bit hasty..."
Or, like Fagan in Oliver Twist, "I-think-I'd-better-think-it-out-again!"
I have found during this long week when my own resources of optimism were waning, friends stepped up to encourage, cheer and advise, but mostly just to be close by.
Sometimes, all it takes is a friend.
My thanks to John, Sean, Andrew, Scott, Norman, Eric and Dan who I am fortunate to count as friends.
My grand-daughter, FC (on the right with her friend, Kate) has already worked this principle out. Just look at those helping hands.
