LET'S LOOK FORWARD

Les encourages all to look forward; the past is behind us.

I have said this many times before I know but I have never been one for looking back I don't see the point of it, yesterday has gone, let it be.

I was reminded of all of this quite recently when I called to see a Lady I hadn't seen for some few years, she was someone who in the fullness of her youth had much to commend her. A rather pleasant disposition, reasonably intelligent I use to think, and a figure that many a man would have admired, including me.

Her name wasn't Jean but I will call her that, and in a nut -shell, I liked her. Ah yes but that was yesterday and unfortunately as soon as I came face to face with the dear one it was obvious that much water had passed under the bridge. Today we are indeed as we are, the past and all it represents has gone never to return. Yes just as I made my observations of Jean so I'm sure she no doubt could see as well the deterioration that I had succumbed to.

Does all of this mean that the end is nigh? And the answer may well be yes if we want it to. Physically we may not be as we were but there is no reason why mentally we can't be an improvement on the past. I rely heavily on that old adage, "use it if not you will lose it" I am of course referring to the brain, what else!

The very centre of staying mentally alert is humour lose that and to me you have lost everything and with that in mind let me conclude by quoting one of my favourite authors, Keith Waterhouse who tells the story of a man who went in to a pub and asked for a 75p glass of Chardonnay to which the barmaid replied, "we haven't got any" whereupon the man said, "yes you have you charge £2-50 for it".

Also a letter in The Times sent in by Roy Child of Preston Dorset who writes as follows. The recent divorce court award of £48 million reminds me of the days of comparative sanity of over 50 years ago when an award was made by a Judge who said, "Mr Jones I am going to allow your wife ten shillings a week" Mr Jones replied, "very good your honour I'll try to chip in a bit myself".

Say what you will, that's quality.

Les Lawrence