Sometimes, don’t you just feel like you’re bursting with love? Lots of things can cause it – like holding a new born baby, or being told the most wonderful news when you had dared not hope for the best; or it could happen when you’re out with your husband or lover on an unpromising day, weather-wise, and the sun comes out for you, filling your private little world with the golden shades of autumn. In the latter case you squeeze each other’s hand and say, “Isn’t it beautiful?” and “The sun came out especially for us!” .

I remember a time many years ago when Chris and I took our girls to a Dartmoor beauty spot called Fingle Bridge. The girls had gone off on their own to explore and Chris beckoned me to sit beside him on a very friendly looking log for two. From our comfy vantage point we had a beautiful view of the river and the sun playing on the trees on the other side, but, best of all, we felt it was for us alone.

“I’m bursting with love for you,” said Chris.

No-one had ever said that to me before and I nearly burst with love back.

Last weekend, after having a lovely visit with our son and his wife in Brighton, Chris suggested that we return to a pretty little spot called Friday Street; it’s a place filled with pleasant childhood memories for Chris – his father loved it there. We parked in a forest car park and walked the rest of the way although it wasn’t really necessary to use the car park as we were the only people there apart from the dwellers of the handful of quaint cottages – puffs of smoke from chimneys informed us of life within.

The day had begun misty but, as we emerged from the dark of the tree-lined lane, the sun came out and lit up the forest behind the lake ahead, and the golden green forest reflected on the water like a painting. Still holding hands, we entered the forest paved with gold and we both felt it – we were bursting with love.