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A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Canon Ann Easter

Good morning!

Today, is the seventy seventh anniversary of the demonstration of the first ever transistor, the semi-conductor device that amplifies or switches electrical signals and power. That demonstration led to many wonderful things but especially to the invention of the transistor radio which was so important a part of my youth.

My Dad talked about his home-made crystal set, having to move a piece of fine wire, called a cat’s whisker, around on a crystal to receive the faintest of signals through giant earphones that he’d saved up to buy from a local pawn shop. The invention of the transistor was an amazing development for him and his generation.

And so my Dad bought his Mum a transistor radio and she would take it out in the garden to listen to Woman’s Hour and Mrs Dale’s diary as well as the music on the ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Light Programme and, when the batteries ran out, my grandmother would pretend ignorance of what had stopped it working and would give the little radio to one of her grandchildren to fix….. well, until all ten of us had a ‘Nanny’s tranny’ as we called them!

How I loved my little radio. I’d burrow under the blankets at night to listen to the Beatles and the Stones until I fell asleep dreaming of the music; it was such a comforting and uplifting pleasure.

I Thank God for all the discoveries and inventions that bring light, laughter, love and music to our world.

Amen