In a way, doing Thought for the Day might be considered good training for a political candidate, as most politicians these days have to present their ideas in as few words as possible. We live in a sound-bite age. There aren’t many people who can hold an audience in thrall with a speech lasting two or three hours, rather than the two minutes I’m being allowed this morning. I’ve only heard a couple.

A talk given at Ipswich Crematorium’s Open Day by Margaret Nelson in 2003 My mother died suddenly at a party at my sisters on Christmas Eve, just after shed demonstrated how to do the can-can to some children. I dont what they thought about a woman in her mid-70s doing high kicks, but she was very proud of being able to kick her own height. I told her it was time to go because I still had things to do for dinner the next day.