1 of 5
-
+
1. Jet the dog. This is my girlfriend Paula’s dog. The reason he is included is because he is barely apart from the toy you see in the picture. He takes it everywhere he goes. That is love and dedication. He has brought lots of joy to my life by being a pleasure to spend time with. Jet’s owner, Paula Hemsley-Roome says: “He is always full of enjoyment playing with his toy and he provides me with happiness.” The photograph was taken on Sunday 3rd March in Harrogate.
2. Geoff Matthews (my dad) and Geraldine Matthews (my mum) look through a Silver Wedding Anniversary related album of a couple they know very well. Geoff and Geraldine have been married for 49 years. Of his 49 years of marriage to Geraldine, Geoff says: “She is simply the best.” Of her 49 years of marriage to Geoff, Geraldine says: “Marriage to Geoff has been filled with love, life and laughter.” The photograph was taken on Wednesday 13th March at their home in North Wheatley.
3. Geoff Matthews and Geraldine Matthews shown from the other side at their home in North Wheatley. They are the couple they were looking at in the album in the previous picture. This year they celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 26th August 2024. On reflection on their life together, Geoff says: “Geraldine has hugely enriched my life.” Geraldine says: “Geoff widened my horizons, whilst sharing our future path together.” The photograph was taken on Wednesday 13th March at their home in North Wheatley.
4. Geraldine Matthews (my mum) shows her delight at the surprise flowers she received from her 3 children: Noel, Clare and Mark (me). The flowers were for Mother’s Day 2024. Mother’s Day 2024 was on Sunday 10th March. She says: “Wow! They remembered again!” The photograph was taken on Thursday 14th March in North Wheatley.
5. Lucy Abbott from Wragby, shows her joy at how well her potato farmer story went for her Online Story Package as part of her MA course. The article has so far, been seen by at least 1,100 people. Lucy says: “It made me really happy when my article about the potato got so many views. I was delighted. The humble potato is always there for me.”The photograph was taken on the 14th March at the University of Lincoln.
There are not enough happy news stories. These photographs show that life really does have the ability to make you smile.
The way I look at the photographs are best summed up by Penelope Wilton’s character Anne in the Netflix comedy/drama After Life.
In a scene with Ricky Gervais’ character called Tony, she says:
“Happiness is amazing. It’s so amazing, it doesn’t matter if it’s yours or not. There’s that lovely thing. A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they will never sit in.”
