Since becoming a ‘lady of leisure’ in September when my youngest went to school, I may have (very occasionally) found myself with a cuppa in front of the dreaded day time TV!
Now, I don’t go in for the Jeremy Kyle/Loose Women type of viewing but tend to stick with the good old BBC where I can find some easy viewing with an informative edge, think Homes Under the Hammer, Escape to the Country and Bargain Hunt.
Last week I found myself watching Flog It! If you haven’t yet experienced this programme, it is a little like the Antiques Roadshow but instead of the members of the public responding to the experts valuations of Granny’s antique brooch or Great Granddad’s collection of glass eyeballs with a “It will never be sold!” this show’s participants are refreshingly honest in their response of ‘I never liked it!’ and ‘Lovely, that’ll go towards our new extension!’ Another common response is ‘I’m getting on now, so need to have a clear out.’ This response keeps on popping back into my head; it really made me pause for thought.
We seem to spend our working lives trying to accumulate ‘things’ – things for the house, things for the family, things just because, things. We surround ourselves with belongings that are both necessary for everyday life and those which are not necessary but help us to be taken back to a happy occasion, to think of loved ones or to bring a sense of joy with just a glance around a room – a shell from that fabulous beach holiday, a family photo in a lovingly decorated frame, a collection of jars filled with buttons!
However, it seems that in the autumn of our days, all these things become somewhat of a burden – if not to their owner then to the family and friends left behind when a person has passed away. I wonder, should we strive for so many things when in the end they are just given away? Isn’t this a huge waste of time, effort and, in these environmentally conscious days, precious resources? Or are the actions which result in the accumulation of things – interacting with others, enjoying time with family, relishing the beauty around us – the whole meaning and purpose of life itself?
I don’t know the answer. What I do know is, regardless of the ribbing I get from Mr F, I will continue to watch the odd bit of day time TV because, it really does make you think!
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