One of the things that irks my long suffering wife is that too often I focus so narrowly, that I have very little idea of what's going on around me. This came to a head a couple of weeks ago when I found myself on a cruise that went well into the Arctic Circle, right at the top of Europe. Essentially, I had packed for a cruise in the Med. So there I am, walking around North Cape under the midnight sun and then onto Tromso, in shorts and sandals; caused a bit of talk (mad Englishman and so forth). The reality was that the weather was exceptionally mild and I was better dressed than all the people kitted out like Michelin men.

What I need to confess is the pathetic delight I took in texting family and friends and boasting about my exploits (look at me, walking round above the Arctic Circle above the snow line surrounded by reindeer in shorts and sandals (me, not the reindeer) . I 'forgot' to mention how amazingly warm the weather was. Mental note to re-visit earlier blog casting doubt on global warming.

We do so like to show off, and ingratiate ourselves. Prayer: Lord, make me comfortable with who I am, not trying constantly to impress other people and please them. And thank you for my wife, who sees through me and my desperate attempts to impress, and still loves me; and my friends who laugh with me, not at me.

I do have another important prayer and it's this: Lord give each one of us the ability to laugh at ourselves and not take ourselves too seriously.