Friday 7th January

Gave myself an easy ride today, knowing I would be heading to a party later. No giddy excitement for me, just another soft play area for the boys, too much sugar and a chance to kick back and have uninterrupted coffee and trashy magazine time for an hour. Actually, much giddy excitement for me – the chance comes by very rarely these days! The party played out as expected, except for two chance meetings which gave me such a boost. Catching up with a friend’s mum, Theresa, she talked a little about her work – by day a child minder, while her evenings and weekends are spent delivering Reiki, which means universal life energies. Amanda, a Reiki practitioner I knew down south, worked her magic on my rheumatic hip so I’m familiar with the therapy which draws on the energies around us. A healer places his/her hands over parts of the body without touching and channels energy through her to support healing – this can be any kind of physical, mental or spiritual difficulty. It had proved successful a few years ago, so I’m now willing to let Theresa loose on me!

The remainder of my time was spent with a woman whose daughter played with Max and Harry and their friends. The little girl’s auburn curls were stunning and I commented on how, had I had a little girl, her hair may well have looked like that if she’d taken after her daddy. A always feels relieved that our boys are little blondies, while I’d have loved a little red head to carry one A’s red gene. She confided that her daughter’s father was a similar colouring, but had committed suicide when the girl was barely one year old.

What a strong woman. Her life changed dramatically when her partner chose to take his own life, but she feels he spared his daughter a rather difficult upbringing as his mental state became untenable after a breakdown some years before. Such a positive spirit. I’m sure these people are brought into our lives sometimes to remind us that, for many of us, our lot ain’t such a bad one.