I hate that. It’s so unfair. For months my car has had this high-pitched screech, that to my ears, sounds like a noise coming from one of the rear wheels in rotation. And no, it’s not the sound of a stone caught in one of the tyres. And no, it’s not the sound of wind whistling through a window not quite closed. And no, it’s not the sound of a noise emitted from the car in front. And no, I don’t have hearing aids. And yes, my wife can hear it too.

I finally booked the car into the mechanic, and you’ll never guess what happened. Actually, I bet you can guess quite well what happened. The noise disappeared on the way. And the mechanic said he could nothing, and I left his workshop red-faced and questioning my sanity; only for the offending noise to reappear the very next day. As it is wont to do! Why does that happen? It’s just cruel.

‘Thankfully’ the chances are better with the rogue noises that rumble and squeak and screech from our hearts, like envy and greed and anger and spite. ‘Thankfully’ they never disappear on the way to the repair-shop, and ‘thankfully’ the Mechanic can hear them clearly. And thankfully that Master-Repairer can fix them, and even replace the faulty parts with contentment and composure and generosity and love. And thankfully we can leave His workshop with less squeak in our souls and more hum in our hearts.