December 2014

       From the Dragons’ Den

LOST!  One little lion: – visiting Little Dragons for the first time and, unfortunately, being left behind as our little ones departed.  Cry of help a couple of days later to tell us that the little lion’s owner was quite distressed and finding daytime and (especially) nightime a little difficult without the company of said lion. So, the hunt began and little lion was discovered hiding in the Children’s Corner where he had obviously been well-entertained by the three teddy bears who live there all the time.

If only all our losses could be dealt with so easily!

There will have been times when, through mismanagement or circumstance, we have lost touch with friends.  Maybe they or we have moved away or have ceased to share similar interests; maybe we have gone our separate ways through lack of opportunity to liaise in our day to day lives. Often, though, if we have tried hard enough we may have been able to keep such friendships going with an enduring freshness, over many years, picking up where we left off, even following many months or even years of little communication.

Then, there are times when we lose people who are dear to us, as life takes its toll.  At such times we feel unable to cope and are sure that we will never recover, never be able to smile again, and never feel able to exist through each day. At such times, although we may feel unable to communicate with others, it is sometimes a glance, a kind word, a shared smile, the touch of a hand that helps to ease our burden a little and perhaps helps us to feel less alone and abandoned in our grief. Others will never know exactly how we feel at such a time but perhaps their empathy, care and love can support us in our need; perhaps they will be the one to help us back into the light – into the light of Christ –  if we can allow them in as they reach out to us.

Val Butterworth