Friendship is not diminished by distance or time, by imprisonment or war, by suffering or silence. It is in these things that it roots most deeply.

The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions- 'it wasn't Jezebels fault, Dad.'

Always smile back at little children. To ignore them is to destroy their belief that the world is good.

Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, singers of songs.

A younger sister is someone to use as a guinea-pig in trying sledges and experimental go-carts. Someone to send on messages to Mum. But someone who needs you - who comes to you with bumped heads, grazed knees, tales of persecution. Someone who trusts you to defend her. Someone who thinks you know the answers to almost everything.

Medicines may be necessary. Flowers lift the heart. But your smile is the best restorative of all.

Horses lend us the wings we lack.