麻豆约拍

The Reverend Kate Bottley, a Church of England priest in North Nottinghamshire:

I recently had a stay away from home for a few days, a mixture of business and pleasure I found myself in the rougher end of town in a hotel room that had a veneer of elegance but was far from perfect. The room had 2 temperature settings - arctic and sub-sahara Africa, the flush on the loo had the temperament of a moody teenager and the hot water refused to fulfil its job description. One morning I found a digestive on top of the wardrobe, that took the biscuit and so I did that very un-British of things and complained. The manager promised to have the maintenance team look at the room and meanwhile would I like an upgrade, the best room in the hotel was free. Ordinarily I wouldn鈥檛 have thought twice but there was a further complication. The hotel had its own resident dog, a delightful greyhound called Dizzy who just happened to sleep outside my door. The new room was at the other end of the building, far away from Dizzy the Dog.

There was no choice to make, a long way from home, missing my family and my own waggy tailed furry baby I decided to stay put, I鈥檇 have cold showers, it would be good for me, I鈥檇 rather have the company of Dizzy and her soothing snore, knowing that as I turned out the light, she was with me, just outside the door.

We often put up with a lot for the ones we love and rightly so, because they put up with a lot for us. Seeing past each other鈥檚 faults and beyond the ideal helps to discover what really matters to us. And I reckon if we strive for perfection in every situation we will always be disappointed, it鈥檚 important to find out what really matters and what we really value. For me I can put up with a lot if I am loved.

I鈥檓 due down in the big city to stay again soon and I鈥檝e booked the same hotel, I鈥檝e asked the manager for the same room, as it says in the bible 鈥楲ove keeps no record of wrongs鈥� and neither have I. I鈥檓 hoping Dizzy is looking forward to seeing me.