This week's Community Column is written by retired local minister, the Rev Ian Miller.

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A WOMAN appeared before the judge. She was suing her husband for divorce.

The judge asked how many children they had, and she said 14. Her case to the judge was that her husband had deserted her.

He asked her when that had happened and was told 13 years ago. The judge then asked: “If he left 13 years ago, where did all these children come from?”

Her answer was simple. She just said: “He kept coming back to say he was sorry.” She forgave him!

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A.J. Cronin, the doctor and novelist lived in Cats Castle, on the Cardross road in Dumbarton. Fairly early on in his career he was called to treat a wee girl who was suffering from a serious case of diphtheria.

Cronin did a tracheotomy and her condition improved, but she was still in a poor condition. When he had finished he told the young nurse on duty that she had to keep an eye on her patient.

He decided to get some sleep and left her with instructions that when the breathing tube got clogged, it must be removed immediately and cleaned, and when she had done that she should call Dr Cronin.

Unfortunately the tube did clog up, but instead of doing what she had been told, she panicked and ran for the doctor. By the time he reached his patent, she was dead.

The very next day he wrote a letter indicating she should never be employed again in any health care capacity.

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The young nurse pleaded for a second chance, but Cronin would have none of it.

However, he hardly slept that night, and in the morning he relented and called the lass in and told her she would be given her second chance.

Indeed she went on to become the matron of a large children’s hospital.

Statistics seem to prove that forgiveness is good for our health. Someone once wisely said: “Grudge-holders are grave-diggers and the only graves that they dig are their own.”

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