Category: Thought

  • Time to change

    Is it possible for people to change? How do we cope with things we’ve done in the past which we deeply regret? Our society can be very unforgiving. The lives of those in the public eye are unmercifully scrutinised. Things which people said or did in the past, or posted on social media, are discovered…

  • A Great Rescue

    Early on Saturday afternoon Matt, a good friend of mine, who is a member of his local cave rescue team, received an emergency call. A caver was seriously injured in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system in South Wales and needed urgently to be rescued. Matt responded immediately and joined the 300 volunteers from across…

  • Facing our fears

    Fear is in the air. During the pandemic many people have been afraid of catching the virus, of being seriously ill and even dying. Every day we are told on national television how many people are infected and how many have died. Some scientists are forecasting a very difficult winter ahead with more people dying…

  • This is my Father’s world

    The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, is being held in Glasgow. For nearly three decades the UN has been bringing together almost every country on earth for global climate summits. COP26 brings together world leaders from more than 100 countries in what is regarded as humanity’s last and best chance to secure a…

  • Be near me when I’m dying

    The House of Lords has been debating the Assisted Dying Bill that proposes making a new law to enable adults who are of sound mind and have six months or less to live to be provided with life-ending medication. The person wanting to end their life would have to sign a declaration approved by two…

  • The Wonder of Reconciliation

    In May 2019, 15-year-old Leah met up with a group of friends in a car park in her hometown of Northallerton. Connor, who was 17 years old, gave Leah MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, a Class A drug. Connor was involved with county lines gangs which target vulnerable teenagers and use them to supply drugs.…

  • God had a plan

    Charlie Duke is a former NASA astronaut. In 1972 as Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 16, he became the 10th and youngest person to walk on the Moon. As he waited for take-off he said, “I was really tense. Every part of my being vibrated with the throb of the Saturn V rocket engine. After…

  • Give us this day our daily bread

    The fine weather in September helped farmers to clear the fields of the final crops and finish harvest. The warm, late summer sunshine meant that the crops were in good condition for storage. We all benefit from the hard work of farmers throughout the year that ensures we have the food we need. There have…

  • Sara’s Story

    Sara grew up in a loving home and enjoyed a very happy childhood in a small rural village in North Wales. As a child she suffered from severe asthma which involved frequent visits to hospital. Her visits to hospital gave Sara the desire to be a doctor so she could help other people as the…

  • Who is my neighbour?

    Recently I was driving on a fast dual carriageway when I saw a man in the central reservation waving his hands. As I got nearer, I saw an elderly man who looked very confused standing near the other man. It seems the elderly man had dementia, had left his care home, and had wandered onto…