In the fifth of our series on aspects of family life, a daughter, wife and mother reflects on how grace emerges through suffering and loss

I relish a wall poster presented to me, significantly, by a family member. It depicts a mother, attired with bourgeois Fifties-style neatness, addressing two young children, similarly dressed with Enid Blyton-era formality. The mother is instructing her offspring: Remember, as far as anyone knows, we are a nice normal family.

This message must resonate with a lot of people, as there are many different versions of this wall art available via the internet.

There is no such thing as a normal family. Every family is probably a bit odd in its own way. I certainly grew up thinking mine was not like others.