We had some German Guests stay at our home with us, for a short period, over the New Year.

We did what we could to make these young people feel very welcome by putting a welcome sign up at the door, and decorating the entrance hall to our home with intertwined German and UK Flags.

I don’t speak German, but I prepared a few phrases of welcome (in German) and I offered to take them out for lunch the following day (in German) as well as telling them (in German) not to worry about anything – leave what you do not like (food) etc

It was a delight to see the smile of recognition and appreciation in their smiles and in their eyes.

The following day, whilst walking with them at a local beauty spot, which they had asked to see, I said again what a privilege it was to welcome them to our home.

One of the young people said, but we are only human, same as you.

Ah, I replied, but it is important that we show our guests from a foreign country  how special it is for us to have them with us in our home.

You see, I wanted my German Guests (who are friends of my adult child) to know that our connection with them is important, and what an honour it was to share our home with them.

So, as the Queen said in her Christmas broadcast, if we do the seemingly little things to change our world to make it a fairer, warmer, safer and brighter place, we have done our bit in these challenging times.

My next blog will be:  Pulling Out into Traffic

William Defoe