I have, in the past, remarked to my children on how lucky they are to be here. This is not to promote some sort of Western guilt complex, but a mere statement of fact. Consider the following:

• Their mother and I were born on different continents
• My parents were born on different continents
• My mother’s parents were born on different continents and met on a ship
• Her mother’s parents were born on opposite sides of the earth; then, having been born on different continents they met each other on a third. During a war
• My great-grandmother was born in Australia. Both her parents were born in Ireland but then took very different routes down under and only met in Melbourne whilst on route elsewhere

Amazing how much chance plays a part in our lives, isn’t it?