Down but not out

This old guy in a wheelchair gave me a cheery grin as I went by and asked for some coins, so I obliged and stopped for a chat - and then asked if I might take a photo. He happily struck a couple of poses and commented that no matter how hard things are, everything improves with a smile. Not a bad motto to live by.

I was reminded of that when I got back home after a mixed morning of one success, a frustrating hour in the bank to validate by new card, and a defeat on finding that my iPhone is to all intents and purposes dead. Then, when I finally managed to access the internet, after innumerable attempts, I heard that a friend's breast cancer had spread further than was originally thought. That certainly put my petty frustrations into perspective.