It is not how I will remember.

I painted this little fellow, Alfie, on canvas a few years ago for a very good friend. I thought it was time, with all this practice I have been having to have another try and depicting him but now using my Ipad. I Like this new version.

I remember painting him well and at the time thought I had managed to get to know him. I think I know him even more now. Is this how I will remember him? Let me say a little more.

I was remembering my best friend and an incident that happened with his mother. Sadly she has now passed away but I will always remember this story of her loyalty to my friend.

She was in the kitchen of the local church. It had been a joining of two congregations for an evening of praise and signing. My friend's mother was now standing at the sink washing dishes while a member of the other church was drying them. From some reason, this woman began to say some not very nice things about the minister who had been in charge of the evening. She listened to some of the horrible things she was saying. She then turned to my friend's mother, " What do you think Peggy?" "Well," said Peggy, "my son is a minister and if I ever heard you saying things like that about him I would find it impossible not to slap you."

It is how we act that tells us more about us than what we ever say.

I remember a lad who was in my class at school. he was bullied regularly by the male members of the class. One day I was also bullied into doing some of the things they did and said to him. I did not wish to participate and did so but nothing like they did. 

Later that day I spoke to him again and apologised and asked his forgiveness which he did instantly. He was, in fact, a very shy and very intelligent person and did not deserve the treatment he got. A few years later after we had left the school he bought a motorbike. About six months later he had a terrible accident and was killed. I will not remember him because of the accident but because of what I participated in that day.

It is never what we say that matters but the actions of our lives.

Have a marvellous day one and all.