Yet another close friend rang and told me her mother-in-law is dying. I know they ring because they know I can cope with the news and they want to tell someone.

I trained to be a hospital chaplain but due to a lot of circumstances never ever got to do that work. I did do a stint as a volunteer hospital visitor and I guess that really prepared me for some of the work I do as a caregiver. I am no stranger to hospitals as most of you know.

Sometimes I wish people would ring me with their good news instead of their bad news. Then I could put on my excited voice and yell: "Yippee! Great! Fantastic! Wow! Congratulations!" That is nicer than having to put on my sad voice and saying"Oh dear, so sad, what a pity, must be hard for you."

Not that I am not sincere in all of this, I just want to get the HAPPY news sometimes.