Miles are only a measurement of how far love can travel, as any of us with family living on the other side of the world can testify.

With the birth of my first, and very precious, grandson in Australia, I’ve been wondering what gift I could send to welcome this tiny baby into the world. What would have shoulders broad enough and wings light enough to carry my love all the way from Ireland to Australia?

Unlike many children born into less fortunate circumstances, he’s already blessed with everything he could possibly need. Parents who love, and can look after, him, a secure roof over his head, and a warm bed to sleep in, in a safe and peaceful corner of the world.

But need or not, I’ve been hovering in front of shop windows, popping into toy stores and browsing web pages.

I know the sensible thing to do would be to buy something online and have it delivered directly, but I want to send him something from my world, something that I have touched. After all, what does being sensible have to do with a new baby and his doting granny?

Passing a gift shop last weekend, a flash of blue caught my eye, and I stopped to look closer. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew I had found exactly what I was looking for.

Pushing through the heavy door, the jingle of its bell announcing my entrance, I picked up the small bear that had caught my attention. Bright red hat, perfectly matching wellies, and a blue duffle coat buttoned all the way up to his furry neck. With his battered brown suitcase tightly clutched in his little hand, he was ten beautiful inches of pure nostalgia.

A wise old bear who taught us that, “If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right.” We could learn much from Paddington

To paraphrase the author of Paddington, Michael Bond, who said,“ I write it, you read it, we share the joy,” I handed my money over in the same spirit, “I’ll buy it, my grandson will hold it, we share the joy.”

A wise old bear who taught us that, “If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right.” We could learn much from Paddington.

Inspired by the three and half million children evacuated during World War II, this little bear became the universal symbol of the refugee.

Similar to those young people forced to flee their homes during that terrible time, he too wore a label around his neck, pleading with whoever found him to ‘Please look after this bear''. He sat on his suitcase at the railway station, down to his last marmalade sandwich, alone and scared before being found by the Brown family, who took him in and loved him, despite their differences.

I brought my precious package home, giving him one last hug, before carefully wrapping him with brown paper and love for the long journey that lies ahead, as he carries my love across continents and oceans, over mountains and through deserts.

Nestling him securely inside a thin, airmail envelope that’s trying to bridge all those miles and months and missed chats and hugs.

As I queued in the post office, hugging the cold package in the same way I’d love to hold the child I’m sending it to, I think how perfect a present it is for my grandson. A child whose mum now lives in a country far away from home and who too, was taken in and loved when she arrived with a suitcase packed with dreams and a heart filled with hope.

Just like Paddington.