Francis Gay

Each week, Francis Gay shares heart-warming, moving and humorous stories from his daily diary. 

Now those children will never forget

LAST Sunday, like so many other people, I stood in solemn silence at a war memorial in tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in wars throughout the years.

As I looked round the sad faces of all the people who had come out on a cold and windy morning, the thing that struck me most was the number of children and teenagers there.

In fact, a rough count showed they outnumbered the adults.

The minister who was conducting the service of remembrance thanked everyone for coming, then spoke directly to the youngsters.

Brothers

He pointed out that on one side of the memorial were three soldiers with the same surname. They were brothers, all of whom fell in France during the Great War.

Just think, he urged the children, of the families they knew with three brothers, and imagine the terrible trauma the parents must have gone through as, one by one, they lost their boys.

Could they imagine what it must have been like? Could they picture the faces of the families as they were told the terrible news?

Those three names carved in stone, he said, were a stark reminder of the terrible cost of war. And that is why we can never forget.

As I looked at the serious expressions on the faces of those young people, huddled shivering round the granite cross, I had greater faith than ever that a new generation was learning and understanding the importance of remembrance.

I WOULDN’T have reacted the same way as Angela — and I’d have been wrong.

Angela had been driving her daughter and a friend to and from various clubs for months. Feeling under pressure, she suggested to the friend’s mother that she might share the load. But unfortunately the woman was upset and angry at what she felt was a dig at her.

Angela could have refused to ever speak to the woman again. But she didn’t. That night she made a batch of biscuits and the next day she took it round with an apology if she’d said anything upsetting. 

Tears

Well, that’s when the woman broke down in tears. She and her husband had been going through a messy split. She’d been so lost in her problems she hadn’t noticed Angela’s efforts with the girls. 

That was years ago and the two women have been firm friends ever since. 

Sometimes we think we have no choice but to shout or walk away, but, as Angela taught me, there’s always another way. And a little extra kindness is always the best option.

Any correspondence for Francis Gay should be sent to: 
The Sunday Post, 2 Albert Square, Dundee, DD1 9QJ 
or email francisgay@sundaypost.com

© All copyright D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd., 2008