This blog is personal, it is mine, for me to process things that are happening or have happened in my life.I currently find hand writing very hard so I type instead.I let go of stress, my feelings that are affecting my everyday existence. Writing it all down as I have always encouraged clients to do, helps me make sense of it. So here I am, again, trying to make sense of it.
As I was getting ready for the day, this morning, I decided to do some clearing out,something we should all do more of I am sure.Anything worth salvaging that would help someone else, I put aside for the charity shop. If I can re-purpose anything then I do but anything else I have no choice but to recycle or throw out. Whilst doing this I began to think of how things have changed, how different our lives ore now than they were when I was a child.
Back them we didn’t seem to throw anything away unless it was broken beyond repair and most things were repairable.In my family when my children were small, again we threw little out. Money was always tight, even though there was a time I had 3 jobs just to pay the mortgage.I kept clothes from my eldest daughter if they were suitable for my youngest but with 5 years between them it was often better to hand them on to friends for their children. My girls were always encouraged to make things last, to mend things that broke if it was possible. I cut down curtains rather than buy new, took up hems if clothes were too long. Repaired anything that had broken if it was repairable. We did not throw much out. Make do and mend was a saying I had heard as a little girl and one I often used with my family. Why throw something out if it can be made good or altered to suit?
Growing up buying a replacement was often far too expensive and our Dad’s seemed to have the skills to repair anything back then. Anything new was seen as an extravagance and most times unnecessary.So we kept hold of things just in case ‘they came in useful’when needing to make these reapairs.
I am not sure when things changed, when people began thinking, that if something broke, they just threw it out and bought new.When the attitudes changed and people didn’t seem bothered about the waste, about throwing something away instead of making it good or changing it’s use but it has and in my opinion this is not for the good.
What impression does this give to the young? What kind of attitude does it encourage in them? ‘Oh it’s broken so I will throw it away and get a new one’. When did people stop thinking, ‘Oh I can mend that’?
There is so much waste in the world and so many people who would benefit from a great deal of ‘stuff’ that others bin!
This past week I took some medication back to the GP. I had not opened the packet, it was still in the paper bag that it was given to me in, by the pharmacist. I told the receptionist that it was unused and unopened and it shocked me to be told that it will only be destroyed!! How can that be right? People all over the world need medications, the NHS is in dire straits and these brand new, unused meds. were to be destroyed! I questioned this and asked if I could find someway of having the recycled ,only to be told no, they would be destroyed!There is no way this can be right.
When I worked for the Health service I remember the office staff were to have new computers, new desks etc. No one wanted them, new ones I mean, as you get used to using your own equipment don’t you but they were to have new. A few weeks later the old ones were taken out and left in the hallway and I asked what would happen to them. I wondered if they could be given to charities , the computer drives changed and then the desks and computers moved on. What was I told? No. They would all be destroyed. I had hoped that as this was awhile ago and the country being in a less affluent place today, things may have changed but I fear I was wrong in thinking that.
The world’s resources are dwindling and we need to go back to repairing and altering so that we have a lot less waste, not only because of the expense but also because we are running out of places to ‘dump’ the ‘rubbish’ that we call waste.
Repair.
Alter.
Re purpose
Recycle.
Then maybe we can help save the planet, save the craft of repairing and altering etc for future generations.And certainly save money.
We need to teach our children this. Teach them that sometimes working at things by making them good, yes may take time and effort but is always better in the end and will save resources and cost.
Which leads me on to this.
The saddest thing about all of this, is that people are doing the same to relationships. How often do you hear of relationships breaking down because one of the pair have upset the other. In my work I would always encourage both parties to come and see me, to hear both sides. You would think that each of the people in the marriage, relationship would understand where the other one was coming from. Believe me they often don’t. Why? Because of a lack of communication. If they row, they don’t try and make it right. They don’t talk to each other about what has gone wrong. No, they end the relationship unless they seek help in putting the wrong right.
How often have family members fallen out because they have upset someone and have never actually discussed the whys and where-fores? Maybe hurt someone and never said sorry?Too often.
We seem to have let the ‘throw away society’ spread over into people and our relationships and that is never good.
Always discuss what went wrong. In this digital age it is so easy to block people out, just press a button and that is the end of that! No thought and most times no going back. Please think before you do this to anyone, you can lose good friendships this way and sometimes your family.Again, this cannot be right.
There that feels better.
Have great Bank Holiday and thank you for reading. x
carolannwright 