Always be positive in life

Dear Betsy, Like Annie featured in your column last week, I lost my husband too, but with God's grace I am happy and contented in life.

I have visited the sick (regardless of race, creed and religion) in Salmaniya Medical Complex every Friday since 1998.

If the patients need financial assistance I refer them to the Ecumenical Conference of Charity (ECC) or to Uwe and Yvonne Stein who always have helping hands or to my American friends, Genevieve Kocourek, Harry and Cora French and some other friends who are willing to help.

I sing in the church, am a member of other clubs, joined the Manama Singers and help people that I know should be helped.

I believed in what the late Mother Teresa said: "We cannot do great things - only small things with great love."

I have recently read what is happening in Chad. Women who have fled violence in Sudan's Darfur region are being regularly raped in refugee camps in neighbouring Chad, despite the presence of UN-trained forces, Amnesty International has said.

You can just imagine what these women are going through. We are blessed that we have a roof over our heads, food, family and friends.

People should stop complaining and moaning. They should be positive in life and they will feel better.

Nilda

Dear Nilda,

Thank you so much for your letter and sharing your thoughts with us. Yes, there is much suffering in this world and once we take a moment to realise this it can surely only make us more thankful for the good we have in our own lives.

You and your friends are a shining example to all of us and I am a firm believer that you get out of life what you put into it.

Sitting back and waiting for things to happen has never been an option for me, but for many people, finding the courage to take that first step is a huge challenge.

Hopefully your letter will encourage some of our lonely readers to get out there and join the Manama Singers or other groups.

As well as the dreadful situation you describe above, we should share a thought for our brothers and sisters who have suffered in the recent catastrophes in Indonesia and the Philippines and the never ending plight of the Palestinians. Suddenly, our problems seem so trivial.

If any of our readers are thinking of joining a social group then I can highly recommend both the Bahrain and Awali Caledonian societies, who, by an amazing coincidence, happen to be holding their opening of the season events on the same evening!

Tomrrow the Awali society meet at the Dilmun Club and the Bahrain society at the Rugby Club. You do not need to be a Scot by birth, just by inclination! You would be welcomed with open arms by both societies and as the functions are so close to each other, you could always visit both before making up your mind which one to join ... or push the boat out and join both!

LONELY HEARTS

Thank you to all of you ladies who wrote in to me saying you would like to meet up with our male readers who wrote about their loneliness.

Several of you asked to be put in touch and I have forwarded your emails to those gentlemen.

Obviously for reasons of confidentiality, I cannot reveal their contact details to you and it must be left to them to get in touch with you if they so wish.

Thank you also to Seamus O'Flaherty who wrote to me with a personal invitation. Unfortunately, I must decline.