It's a gift called Love

Now then, now then, goodness gracious me, as it 'appens, now then you sa-a-a-ay ......

I'm sat looking at what I have just typed - me, myself, personally, less than 30 seconds ago - but I still have no idea why I wrote the words uttered by Jimmy Saville OBE.

Oop, hang on, it's coming back to me .......

Nope, s'gone.

Let's move on.

Annabel's class performed their assembly this morning, and what a beautiful assembly it was too. Each class gives two assemblies per full term and each one has to project some kind of message, preferably of the 'loving' kind, be nice to each other, your neighbour etc.

She has been dutifully learning her lines for about a fortnight, and it was very lovely seeing her sat on a bench dressed as a frog.

The story was that an old badger had a dream, a dream that he was running through a beautiful shaded wood, strange that he was running as he hadn't been able to run for quite some time, and in his dream, he began to fall. He wasn't scared or hurt when he was falling; in fact, he felt very free.

The next morning, Fox announced to the other animals that Badger had "passed away in his sleep" (did they even know what that meant??). The various animals then discussed how Badger had helped them in a variety of ways.

Annabel's line was this; "I'm very good at skating, but I wouldn't have been as good as I am without Badger helping me. He took the time to hold my hand and show me how to skate without the fear of falling over. Watch me everyone".

The other animals then clapped as Annabel "skated" around them.

Other animals said that Badger helped them learn to use scissors to cut out stars that were joined at one corner. Others again, said he'd helped them learn a tricky number or letter.

You see?

Badger's gift to Annabel's Frog and all her friends in the forest was not a present wrapped in expensive paper, accompanied by a card. It was an invisible gift, the gift of Love. It was patience, it was thoughtfullness, it was giving his time, it was understanding.

Even after he was gone forever, the animals in the wood got together to speak of Badger's kindness, to speak of how good he had made them all feel, to remember his invisible gift.

So many times I forget to just listen to what my children are telling me. It can be something as simple as a picture in a book, "look Dad, look at this funny birdie in the tree!"

I seem to forget that whatever it is that I'm doing, it pales in comparison, to just look down and acknowledge their simple requests.

I wish I had the same attention to detail that Annabel has.

Then I'd be in the clear!