The suggestion is to give money and I have. It was easy. I texted a number and hey presto (after three attempts at getting the message right) I'd done it. Whew! I can forget about LLLL for another day...
Well of course not. It isn't a licence to give away a little cash and then forget it.
I had to think carefully as to where to give the money. I am not 100% happy about my choice. There are other charities doing the same work who I could have sponsored just as easily if I'd done exactly what I was told in the LLLL booklet and saved up my spare pennies for the whole of Lent. As with any donation there is the worry about how much will go on administration (funny how, as a pen pusher in the NHS I don't whinge too much about money meant for bedpans going to data clerks instead) whether it will be money well spent. I have friends who have used the helplines being sponsored who have got very bad advice. There is genuine debate about what constitutes the best or even adequate advice to give, among specialists and parents and even parliamentarians.
I think however that, on balance, I have done more good than harm with my deed and after yesterday's soul searching am certainly not going to waste any more time in saying sorry if I haven't. Instead I have tried to be more giving in praise as well as in money and continue my daily attempt to say thank you to someone. This was made very much easier by, of all people, a Tory MP. Thank you Mr Newmark for your moving speech in the House of Commons today. I didn't agree with it all. I don't think it will save the world. I do think though that it has done CONSIDERABLY more good than harm.
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