The Milk of Human Kindness.

Sometimes when I look at all the awful things that go on in this world I despair. Poverty, hunger, war, oppression, aggression, envy, arrogance, pollution, plundering of the world's resources, the haves and the have nots, natural disasters. There are many more injustices in this world that I cannot list. The Greeks had the legend of Pandora's Box to explain evil.

With all that going on in this world it is sometimes hard to remember that many people are kind, supportive, loving and caring. The challenges in my life of recent weeks probably pale in comparison to many but whether we like it, accept it and embrace it mental illness exists. That I question that every day of my life is a given. It has given me a career, friends, enemies, fears, regrets and recriminations. But it features highly in my life.

What has been so overwhelming in recent weeks is not just the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune to misquote I think Shakespeare...English A Level was a long time ago...but the kindness of my many friends. There are too many to name who have offered help, love, works and hugs.

From my old student Krishna ringing in the week as she was worried about me, to Gary who sat me down the day after the flat bombshell helped me see a different perspective and made me write a list, to Miriam who gave up her Saturday to come and help. Not least is dad whose extraordinary generosity has kept me from darker places. It is very expensive to move.

And then this afternoon as I went over to watch the rugby in the pub my kind friend Catherine peeling off from her friends and spending more than an hour talking to me. She too has lived adversity and unknown to me has also had a shitty few months with health.

None of them needed to take the time to help me but they did. Made huge strides clearing, binning, packing, recycling and generally sorting the mess that is my life. My worries about papers, letters, those kinds of things that can't be recycled for security reasons have been absolved by the offer of a bonfire with my friend Nick once I know what has got to go and I'm more settled.

My posts of late have been quite dark for which I ask your forgiveness. Let us hope that in a few weeks' time I will be better, moved and settled I will post brighter things.

For now my old love of Mozart is helping my Saturday night. Tomorrow there is more to do but I am cooking, roast beef with Gary and Ali.

Thanks also to all you people who tune in to read, it buoys me on dark days.

I Heard a Voice.