It was early morning. The fog still clung in patches to the tips of the hills as I walked down to the edge of the lake. I felt chilled. Pulling my jacket closer around me I trudged on. Used to the hustle and bustle of the city with its constant bombardment of noises, I hadn’t slept well. There I slept like a log, deafened to the sirens and traffic and never-ending stream of people. Last night was absolutely still; the onl...

LEARNING TO LOVE I’ve been alone all my life. Mum and dad were killed in a car accident when I was only three years old. I can’t even remember them. All I have is a pewter frame, a family heirloom, with their photograph. With no living relatives, I was sent to an orphanage. There was no love in that cold place. Sure there was food and clothing, a roof over my head, but that was all. None of the nurturing, caring, soft tou...