This evening finds me in a calm, contented mood. My parents came for one of their occasional visits earlier, bringing presents and news of the family. We chatted at home for a while, then went to the park for a coffee. It was great to see them, while at the same time it struck me as being quite a normal, regular afternoon. After all, what is abnormal about a man and his partner having his mum and dad come to visit? Such things presumably happen every day in this vast metropolis. That, though, is why I feel so content: there is a happiness to be found in knowing that one leads just a regular life, yet also that one is loved by so many. It’s funny how people so often call me things like ‘inspirational’ and look at me like I’m some kind of outsider, but at the end of the day I’m just another member of the vast family which is humanity. Afternoons like this remind me of that. At the same time, I’m lucky to have so many lovely family members and friends behind me.