Thursday is Guardian Weekly delivery day, subject always of course to the postal service’s cooperation. Over many decades I have developed a Guardian Weekly reading routine to help me cope with the barrage of instant everything.
I start with Notes & Queries in the Diversions section to awaken my sense of humour and to open my mind to unconventional and humorous ideas. N&Q puts me in the right mental frame.
I am now ready for the Comment & Debate section, which introduces me to views on troublesome topics I may have been tempted to either set aside for now or to ignore altogether. This section provides me with the inspiration and courage I need to focus my mind on troublesome issues. C&D opinions remind me that, at its core, citizenship is not about rights: it is about responsibilities.
Next in line is the Reply section. I am reassured by readers from around the world as I discover that even mundane local problems can and often do have a global perspective. There is only one world, and we are all part of it.
With all of that behind me I am now ready to start with the Guardian Weekly’s front page. All I skip are the crosswords, Futoshiki, Sudoku and chess pieces. Even without these brain twisters, there is enough material on and between the front and back pages to keep me and my wife, Sue, going until next Thursday.
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