A thought at Christmas on our own humanity and the frailty of things.

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Christmas Day, of all days of the year, is where our thoughts and activities are most with family and friends and least with public transport. Yet so many of our public transport contacts have become friends over the years, and it's astonishng and humbling to report that 47 members - friends - have been logged in this morning.

This has been a difficult and lifechanging year for many of us. On top of the restrictions, lockdowns, employment changes and so forth directly affecting almost everyone, our physical and mental health and that of those around us has been radically affected. We have lost at least one member, and others who were good friends of public transport. Individually, a number of us have lost ones close to us or have had our own or family health issues after which we hope to climb back from, but in practise we may never be the same again.  I'm honoured to have some visibility of these evens for some members, and sadly there will be other reading this who have been or going through things too of which I am not aware.

Where am I headed? To a message of understanding, appreciation, and tolerance. Our members here, for the most part, are a model of such which I am proud commend.  But it does no harm to post this very very rare reminder, especially at Christmas as we're all very much more out of of weekly norm. And certainly the last week has been double extraordinary for some of us.