You cannot live your life by a T-shirt slogan

READER'S RESILIENCE PROVES WISDOM CAN ONLY COME FROM HARD-EARNED EXPERIENCE...NOT CHEAP PLATITUDES

- HANNAH JONES

I HAD this lovely note from a lady called Pat.

It’s not her real name (I've always wanted to say that!) but what I do know for a fact is that she’s 85 and still putting the vacuum round.

My new best friend Pat said: “I love your writing, it lifts me when I am having a ‘roll on tomorrow’ day. I am now in my 85th year and looking after two adult daughters, both aren't well.

“I love them dearly but when people tell me that ‘you are only given what you can bear’ I feel like hitting them with my vacuum cleaner which seems to be permanently at my side!

“On top of that I lost my lovely husband this year, so I have a feeling that somewhere in a past life I was a bit of a villain, or someone out there in the universe doesn’t like me!

“Keep the smiles coming.”

Now what struck me was: