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I have just received an email from someone (who is clearly in very “deep thinking mode”) asking my views on heaven. He questions the scenario of him being married in this life to a number of different women who all die before him and then when he himself dies, he meets them all at the entrance to the after life. Would chaos ensue, he wonders, or would it just be a very difficult situation where he would have to introduce everyone to everyone else ? Perhaps it would not be difficult at all and they all could “live” happily ever after, together. Would this be heaven ? After all – he loved each one of them at the time he was married to them, so to be with them all must surely be paradise. Or not. It’s not an easy question. In fact, as it’s the classic basic question humans would like answering, that is – what happens when we die ? – it seems that it is an impossible question. But maybe it is our own interpretation of what we expect to happen that defines our heaven or otherwise. Some peop...

It may be stating the obvious, but there’s nothing more natural than giving birth. The process of reproduction in living things has gone on for a very long time – whether we believe in evolution or creation theory, it’s still many years. The act of giving birth is as much a part of life as the need for air, food or water, yet it remains one of the most fascinating and marvellous happenings imaginable. It is also one of the most physically painful yet emotionally fulfilling experiences that we, as humans have (I cannot comment on the emotional aspects of animals, having never been one) I have still not quite worked out, even after half a century, why it is so physically painful (perhaps someone could enlighten me) and have had various theories of my own as to possible answers. Maybe it is so that we appreciate life itself more, knowing that it is a struggle for mother and child to come into the world or maybe it’s natures way of limiting the population…. Anyway, it hurts ! And it does ...

Following my blog the other day about how to address people, I have recieved many people's thoughts on this subject and am grateful for their responses. Thanks everyone - it shows that it is NOT "just me" ! Many people have talked of the condescending attitude of those in authority and it seems as though these attitudes are most prevalent in the health services - a department where one would think that it is extremely important to be aware and sympathetic of "customers" feelings and responses, after all we are dealing with sick people and their relatives and friends here. My two daughters feel the same and their concern is often with the attitude of the doctors too .A couple of months ago, one of my daughters was diagnosed with some pre- cancerous cells (I forget the medical term) Anyway, at the second visit to the hospital they said that the cells were verging on the cancerous and need removing immediately - which they did. Now, her sisters son was diagnosed wi...

I have just been writing a letter to an old friend of my mother's. Well, this lady is the mother of a girl I went to school with (and haven't seen for about 30 years) but the lady goes to my mother's church and betwen them they share family stories and pass them on. My mother came to visit me last week and brought with her a letter to me from this lady and a selection of old journals and magazines from a writing group she attends.So my letter is a one of thanks to her. But how do I address her? My mother calls her by her first name (of course) but to me she always has been "Mrs... " "or Hazel's mam," or even at one stage in our lives, "Guider" when she was leader of the Girl Guide Group I was a member of. Of course, I have addresed her as "Mrs..." and then went on to explain this to her. Should I need to explain to her why I have not called her by her first name ? Maybe not, and maybe when she receives the letter she will find it ...

How do those of us who are trying to embrace a philosophy of doing what we believe to be good/right deal with the anger and despair that we feel over the injustices all around us? Would you rather give the world a hug, or a slap in the face? Would you rather get up there and battle, or leave it alone for the sake of a peaceful life? I am sure that many of us can relate to this. It isn’t just my worry, it’s a human question. We all fight with our anger over issues in our own lives as well as in the wider world. Often, it leads us to the depths of despair and we feel any effort on our part is futile. So we give up. But anger is a powerful emotion, and when it is channeled properly, it can be a force used to positive affect. Rather than ranting at the world – or worse, allowing the anger to destroy you inside by keeping it hidden, we need to find a way to use it and work for change. "The reasonable man attempts to adapt himself to the world and the unreasonable man attempts to adapt ...

I had a feeling that as soon as I wrote the phrase “…I was incredibly proud to be British” on this blog , the other day, that within a short space of time I would have reason to question my views. And yes, I already have these reasons. I read that a 16 year old student from Qatar is beaten and left for dead by a drunken mob, which police have confirmed was a racist attack. Mohammed Al-Majed, died from his injuries two days later. He was on a visit to Britain to learn about it’s culture and traditions. There’s little that can be said about this appalling tragedy which wouldn’t sound patronising to the family. An 18 month old baby boy is critically ill in hospital after his five year old sister accidentally shot him in the head with their father’s air rifle. Do we need to discuss why the air rifle was even in the home? A schizophrenic who was locked up indefinitely 10 years ago, for killing Police Constable Nina Mackay, is back on the streets in preparation for his permanent release. El...

I must admit, I have been rather cynical recently, of the government’s rules and regulations on immigration and gaining British Citizenship. (What you - cynical? I hear you say with more than a little irony) The“British Citizenship Test” which began in 2005 – the year my husband and step family came to Britain to live – didn’t inspire me with much confidence of what the government thinks constitutes “being British”. But if you want the passport, then you have to read the “Life in the UK” book then take the test on society, history and culture. A 45 minute test, which costs you £34, of questions that many people born and educated in Britain struggle to answer, doesn’t seem to be the best way to integrate people from different cultures into a culture that is difficult to define – but there you go, that’s what you have to do. Almost 60m people live in the UK. By what factor do the native-born English outnumber their Scots or Welsh neighbours? A) 9 to 1? B)7 to 1? C) 6 to 1? Blowed if I ...