“Thanks for what you’re doing.”

Five shorts words (six if you count you’re as you are) that a supermarket customer felt compelled to convey to me yesterday. A short sentence of appreciation bestowed while donating to the cancer care charity I was stood collecting for.

It wasn’t the most eloquent sentence I’d ever been the recipient of. However, at the time, being beneficiary to those few words manifested a previously unchartered feeling of inner contentment and self worth.

I think the most eloquent sentence uttered to me was a few years back, when I was told “The jurisdictional propensity of the risk of litigation, resultant from ill-conceived occupational strategies will fundamentally and unnecessarily expose one to the future potential of a habeas corpus writ.”

The eloquence of that collection of words is unquestionable. However, as I didn’t have a clue what the owner of my local takeaway was talking about, I didn’t pay it much heed……. After all, I’d only gone in for a pepperoni pizza.

That simple pronouncement, in association with the unwavering generosity of shopper’s donating towards the Marie Curie charity, drove home to me that I had done something meaningful and worthwhile…… Boy, did that feel good.

What my medication failed to achieve in the five years since my wife Karen’s secondary breast cancer diagnosis, had been effectuated by the simple act of standing with a collection tin for a relatively short period.

For those seeking an increased feeling of self worth, I’d highly recommend the therapy provided by two hours of voluntary work.

 

You’ll be fine as long as you meet the volunteers acceptance criteria, in conjunction with avoid collecting on the hard shoulder of the M1 motorway.…. Or indeed any motorway, roads, lions pens, a snake pit or on Mr Magoo’s driveway. In fact, to mitigate risk to your safety just don’t collect anywhere dangerous! …… Not only would it be risky, but lions are notoriously poor supporters of charitable causes.

The paragraph above was of course tongue in cheek. You are given the choice from a list of available collection points, in addition to a convenient date and time.

Go on, you know you want to……… What’s the worst that could happen?

Your arm might ache a bit at the end, but as long as you avoid any motorway, roads, lions pens at zoo’s, a snake pit and Mr Magoo’s driveway you’ll be fine.

I wrote on Facebook yesterday how I’ve now got the charity collection bug, already registering to undertake two more this month. One of which with my son at a supermarket in York.

I’ve heard it said in the past that to negate the shortfall in collectors people on benefits should be encouraged to collect for charitable causes.

As I try to avoid politics when I’m writing, along with motorways, roads, lions pens, a snake pit and Mr Magoo’s driveway, I’ll plead the 5^th on that subject.

I will say, though, that I’d encourage voluntary work to anyone with the time and inclination.

Right, I need to bring this narrative to a conclusion. After all, my halo won’t polish itself!

** If you wish to volunteer to collect for Marie Curie, it can be done via the link below.

https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved/daffodil-appeal