When I was a lad, many years ago, we used to have a free lesson where we could choose a book from the school library and sit and read quietly for an hour - do you know that was always my favourite lesson.

Aesop once told a story, which some of you may remember from your own school days. It was all about a lion and a mouse and how they struck up an unusual friendship and helped each other.

It was a hot sunny day when the huge lion came to a quiet glade and decided to lie down for a rest before seeking his next meal. Then along came a small timid mouse and seeing the lion asleep, carefully walked all round the beast, inspecting every aspect of this fearsome giant. She might have gone away unnoticed, had she not decided to inspect the inside of the lion's ear. At this intrusion, the lion woke up with a mighty roar and prepared to crush the mouse with one of his giant paws. The little mouse sat shivering and begged for mercy and because he was hot and tired, he simply couldn't be bothered, so the lion let her go.

Sometime later, the lion was out looking for food when he became entangled in a net left behind by some hunters. Angrily, he stamped about and roared and roared, but the net had tightened around him and he couldn't get free. When the little mouse heard the lion roaring in distress, she rushed to his side and patiently gnawed at the net holding him fast, until after a while, she managed to free him.

Sometimes in our own lives, it is the small underrated things that matter most. The 'good morning' the friendly smile and stopping for a little chat with someone you know lives alone. Yes, little things ... but they could make a big difference to someone we meet.