Thought of the Week - Stories to listen and learn from

When I have ‘down time’ it’s nice to read something that that I don’t need to analyse, question and ultimately, discuss in front of a large audience.

I’ve devoured four of his Lewis/ Harris based books over the past several weeks and have enjoyed them immensely.

I never cease to be amazed at how writers can grab your imagination and take you to places that seem strange yet vaguely familiar.

The author describes the topography and localities in Lewis and Harris and it can sometime feel like you are in the car with the character in the book, so familiar are you with the area described.

There is something very comforting about the things we know about, the places we relate to and the names of individuals that are so commonplace on these islands.

We can be forgiven for taking it all for granted until someone of Peter May’s ilk comes along and creates a whole new outlook to a world we thought we knew like the back of our hands.

As human beings, we have a fantastic capacity to enter into the fictional life of the characters in any book, but when it’s something we actually live and experience, it makes it all the more interesting.

Look to your left and right, there are people who have stories to tell, stories we should listen to and learn from. A rich and valuable heritage we should always treasure.