Sunday, November 22

And just like that, winter has retreated. I would like to say “gone” but I suspect that would prove a wildly over-optimistic exaggeration.

I have gone for a walk before lunch and I look up at bright blue skies. The snow that lay on the ground completely disappeared yesterday, and the storm winds dropped.

I walk long listening to Laurie Taylor discussing the problems facing the deported, and the changed and changing attitudes of British and American governments to people who have a legitimate right to live in England or the USA – but not enough of a legitimate right.

They shouldn’t have come here then! They knew what they would get themselves into! Oh, I couldn’t agree more. I well remember the discussions we had in my family when I turned three or four, and the active role I played in carving out a future for myself. I accept complete responsibility for the choice of primary school I attended – and if my parents had chosen to emigrate to Australia on my fifth birthday I would have complete ownership over that decision too.

I find people’s cynicism and complete lack of imagination staggering. Did people ever have the ability to imagine living in someone else’s shoes?

Or did I just imagine that?