Can you name the words of author J M Barrie ?
Peter Pan, I can hear you saying but can you name anything else ?
J M Barrie I am not.
I will never produce a work of the quality of Peter Pan.
As a child I saw the Walt Disney film and had a book taking images from the film to tell the story.
Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, The Lost Boys - what wonderful characters in a beautiful story line. A work of genius.
As a child I was not aware that all royalties from the story were given to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. It was not until my early adult life that I understood what an amazing gesture this author had made.
James Matthew Barrie was born in 1860 and died in 1937. If I ask you to name stories he wrote during his lifetime beyond Peter Pan I doubt you will be able to. I have tried to find out how much money the author's work has given to the hospital but no figures are available. It must be many millions.
Nobody is screaming about the generosity of James Barrie, all those millions are wrapped in a thick blanket of modesty.
Here is something else that is wrapped in a blanket of modesty.
Do you recognise the logo ?
It is Ronald McDonald Childrens Charity, the operator of Ronald McDonald Houses all over the world.
We all know the fast food giant, of course we do, but Just Like J M Barrie it does not shout its mouth off about its generosity.
Ronald McDonald provides free accommodation in a loving environment for families of children in hospital.
When my beautiful daughter Rebekah was treated for chronic renal failure in Guyz Hospital, London, my family would never have been able to cope with life had it not been for Ronald McDonald.
As readers of my diary know, my darling Beck passed away suddenly on Friday. I am meeting with her friend Jo this morning and will be talking about something her friends have set up. Let me share what they have put on-line.
As a group we are taking part in the Milton Keynes big fun run in memory of our beautiful friend Rebekah.
Rebekah passed away suddenly on Friday 19th May aged 34 years old. All her life she had been a renal patient. After 2 failed kidney transplants she eventually had a successful one (Louise kidney) Louise kidney allowed Rebekah to achieve so much for 22 years but unfortunately a couple of months ago Louise kidney ceased working and Rebekah was on dialysis.
During her childhood Rebekah spent weeks on end in Guys hospital in London where her family received invaluable care and support from Ronald McDonald house. Their kindness touched their lives and will never be forgotten.
We would like to raise as much as we can in Rebekah's memory to help other families with seriously ill children in hospital to receive the same care and support that touched the lives of this special family.
I may be a proud holder of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award but that was fifty years ago and the physical element was hiking, walking and not running. In cross country at school I would always be one of the tail endears. I am intending this morning to chat with my daughter's to see if I can take part by WALKING rather than running.
When I shared this with my wife yesterday she reminded me of something my grandson Adam had said. "Granddad do you mind if I say something ? You walk like a snail !"
Well, I am going to do it.
I've just had a brilliant idea ! I am going to ask my best friend Jake - here on the right - if he will walk with me.
Why not ?
He can walk and he can also collect sponsors.
The story I am working on right now THE BRIDGE HOUSE starts in 1901 when its central character, my grandmother was eleven years old. I am moving towards the end of the first chapter. I have a detailed plan for the writing which will see the book published in time for the fun run in October.
Every morning I open my publisher's admin page to see how many copies of my stories have been sold. The graph is usually a straight line - the base line with one or two spikes. It's strange but I either sell no e-books at all or I sell a lot. No steady daily sales line.
I have already decided I am going to write THE BRIDGE HOUSE for Rebekah but have also
All money I earn from the story which will be published both as an e-book and in traditional form will be given to Ronald McDonald Houses.
If truth be told I do not normally care that much if a story sells anything at all, writing a story is what matters to me. THE BRIDGE HOUSE I will make my very best work ever and then I promise to work very hard to promote it and sell loads of copies. Everything will go to Ronald McDonald.
If I can make one ten thousandth of that J M Barrie raised for Great Ormond Street I will be a happy man.
DAVID
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