Low winter sunshine streams through the window,

He’s perched at the table, with pen poised in hand.

A blank piece of paper stares expectantly at him,

The stereo seeps sounds of his favourite band.

As abandoned attempts scatter the surface,

Thin-black lines fill the thick-white page;

Slowly and carefully revealing intricate details,

A cross-hatched body, legs and a face.

On the wall, a black cat with pendulum tail,

Like a beating heart, ticks loudly,

And as he adds the final touches to his work of art,

He leans back to appraise it proudly.

Later, the black lines are turned shiny and silver:

Two lobsters, their claws locked together,

The white paper becomes an inviting mauve card,

A sign they’re in love, and will be forever.

2011 saw a follow up series, Katie: My Beautiful Friends, which brought us up-to-date with Katie’s progress, informed us about her new charity – The KP Foundation – and introduced us to some of the burns victims that the charity would be helping.

Then on Tuesday night, Channel 4 aired a new documentary Katie: The Science of Seeing Again, and this third invitation into Katie’s private life was just as interesting and inspiring as the previous two. It followed Katie as she prepared to undergo stem-cell surgery on her blind eye, talked about the 109 operations she has already had, and also showed her visiting the States as she considered an alternative option and the ethics behind that procedure.

While the programme was airing, the Twitter hashtag #katiethescienceofseeingagain was brimming with praise for Katie, and “Katie Piper” was trending as people filled the social-media site with positive tweets about the documentary. I’ve been following @Katiepiper_ on Twitter since she made her story public, and I think the reason people have warmed to her so much is that she never fails to come across as anything but a normal girl trying to lead a normal life. She tweets about being late, clothes, shoes and other insignificant stuff like that. She doesn’t harp on about being a victim or feeling sorry for herself, which is commendable given her story. The documentary supported this; she was once again portrayed as being a genuine and caring person.

The programme ended well for Katie; she had started to regain some sight. It is fantastic that such a tragic story can have such a positive outcome. To be able to inspire and enlighten so many people, Katie has proved she really is a brave and selfless individual. It really was a heartwarming watch for a cold February evening.

Risk taking is free

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool

To weep is to appear sentimental

To reach out for another is to risk involvement

To expose feelings is to risk exposing yourself

To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss

To love is to risk not being loved in return

To hope is to risk despair

To try is to risk failure.

But the greater hazard in life is to risk nothing,

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing,

They may avoid suffering and sorrow,

but they simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love

chained by certitudes, they are slaves

who have forfeited freedom.

Only a person who risks is Free.

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann c.1920

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

…but also for cheer – so, to everyone out there a Happy New Year!

But COVER and LOVER,

Add an ‘r’ to BOTHER,

And its sound becomes BROTHER!

This may sound rather petty,

But PRETTY rhymes with PITY?!

And WORD rhymes with WHIRRED,

Isn’t that absurd?

We say BLOOD as in FLOOD,

But then BROOD as in FOOD,

It’s no wonder our language,

Leaves people somewhat confused!