In the Final Analysis

Across the country yesterday 18-year-olds discovered their exam results. Granddaughter-Hannah was delighted to get the grades she needs; in September she’ll be off to university in Canterbury. Her family and friends are delighted too!

Education through home, primary school, high school, college… This was the final analysis. We say that she did well because of the intelligence and positive work ethic she inherited from her grandparents. She would most certainly describe it differently.

Michael Parkinson’s death was yesterday’s headline-news. Son of a Yorkshire miner, cricket lover, journalist… He interviewed the world’s biggest stars on his long-running TV chat show. Many paid tribute to ‘Parky’, giving their ‘final analysis’…

Sir David Attenborough said: ‘As a viewer, you knew if Michael was asking the questions, there were going to be good questions, and they would elicit good answers…

You knew that he would do his homework, and that he would ask questions that didn’t occur to you, as well as those that did. I thought he was the best interviewer in the business at that time…

Sir David’s final analysis: ‘He was extremely generous. He wanted you to shine, and not particularly himself. He would always laugh at your jokes… When you were told that he was going to be the interviewer, it was like meeting a friend…’

In 1650 Oliver Cromwell, in a  letter to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland, wrote: ‘I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.’

‘In the bowels of Christ’ is an old-fashioned way of saying ‘with great compassion, deep feeling…’ Cromwell calls for humility and open-mindedness. In the final analysis we’re fallible. We may be wrong – particularly in matters of faith…

Musing… my final analysis…

Hannah – Work hard; celebrate my successes,

Parky – Be generous; allow others to shine

Cromwell – Stay humble: I may be wrong

…Mother Teresa: ‘In the final analysis is it between you and God; it never was between you and them anyway.’