IN the big scheme of things it was a tiny, yet heart-warming incident on a recent away-day.

Two Asian women, wearing their elegant, traditional clothes, were standing serenely in front of us, with babies in pushchairs, waiting for a lift to take them upstairs.

One also had with her a lively small boy whom I took to be her son. He was about seven.

When the lift arrived the women got in with their pushchairs. The sparkling little boy stood to one side to usher my daughter, who was pushing me in my wheelchair into the lift, enchanting us with his spontaneity.

Because we did not want to separate the boy from his mother and feeling the lift would become overcrowded with more people, we waited until it came down empty again.

But not before saying a big thank you for such amazing and memorable grace.

Margaret Lawson,

Aldborough House,

The Groves, York.

Updated: 10:44 Saturday, November 08, 2003