It has been a sombre week. Three people have died who I knew only at one remove, which somehow makes it more difficult to bear. If I had known them personally, I could have from first-hand knowledge shared the grief with those left behind.
The first death that I became aware of was that of a member of the local Liberal Democrats. He had been ill for some time, and not expected to recover, but even so it must have been a blow for his wife. Keith Davies, our chairman, is also active in parish matters and tells me that our late member was a communicant of the Church of Wales, which will surely provide some comfort to his family.
Then the sudden death was announced of a Labour councillor in the Aberavon ward, someone who was acknowledged as a good constituency man but also respected by his political opponents - a good man to have an argument with, is how one of my colleagues expressed it. Such straight-dealers are all too rare in politics.
The biggest blow was the death of a husband of a correspondent of several years, someone with whom I have daily exchanged emails on the subjects of cryptic crosswords, cricket, football and just occasionally politics. Theirs was a happy and mutually-supportive marriage and if there is any consolation it is that he seems to have passed away in his sleep.
My thoughts go out to the family, friends and colleagues of all three.
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