Hello 2012

Yes I know we're several days in and I'm already chasing my tail.  Anyway here's to a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012 for all of us.  Grasshopper and I had the most social festive season we've enjoyed in ages.  As usual we had fun at the Victorian Christmas Fair in Worcester.  I'm not a poet, but had a bash at a poem called 'Generosity'.  This was accepted for a placard advertising this year's Worcester Literary Festival (15th to 24th June 2012). 

Then there were visits to and from new and old friends right through December and a happy time with son, girlfriend and little boy over the Christmas period.  Now it's good to get back to normal.  The tree and decs were taken down and stowed away yesterday, and renewed 2012 healthy living plan started today.  This couldn't begin until after the Writers Circle social evening on 3rd Jan when all sorts of delicious goodies were provided by members.  We were entertained by magician Andy Kirk, a regular at WWC who delighted and baffled us all with his skill and humour.  Click on andysmagic.blogspot.com

Over the festive season, friends were talking to us about intolerant attitudes that stem from historical animosity, that are still being kept alive by some to this day.  One friend was asking what we thought could be done to improve relationships between groups that have strong loyalties, values and sometimes opposing beliefs.  The answer must start with each of us making the effort to develop tolerance and understanding.  And deciding not to hold a grudge.  Even if we don't agree with others' views, we need to accept that they have a right to have them.  Perhaps if we got to know people as individuals who just happen to belong to a different team, country, religion, political group and so on, we would see how daft it is to spout thoughtless and groundless generalised statements about the collective.  Perhaps generosity has a part to play too. 

''Generosity''.