Out Of the Wreckage...

Dear Juliet

Today was the 10th anniversary of my mother's death. I wanted to sit for a while in church and remember her, but there was a funeral so I had to move fast.

Such is life.

I got briefly into the Lady Chapel, paid my respects and got out quick.

But if you're expecting some screed about family values, don't worry. I went no-contact with my own sister and I don't regret it one iota. She was plain horrible.

People actually love being judgmental, but they almost invariably do it without full knowledge of the circumstances or feelings of others so I try not to fall into that trap.

As Atticus Finch once said in To Kill a Mockingbird:

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

I might hear from my niece and nephew one day, but I suspect they're too involved with their smartphones (honestly, can you marry one of the things?) to bother.

Okay, that's enough preachifying. It's 87 F in Shifnal but it'll only be 78 F in Los Angeles today, so you've got the better deal.

To Kill a Mockingbird's also coming to London's West End for a short season and, while I'm not sure I'm that interested, I might go and see it. Trouble is, I know the story too well. I even visited the schoolhouse where segregation was stopped back in 2012.

And, funny thing is, I found myself doing my own little bit for equality and mercy just a bit further down that road.

Long story. I might tell you about it one day but I was asked to keep it quiet so I'll just give you this one little hint for now.

Out of the wreckage of our own lives, if we do one or two good things, then it is worth it.

There's a reason I sometimes go to Seattle.

If you hadn't been you, I wouldn't have been there in 2012, and it wouldn't have happened.

You influenced many good things.

Love,

James