I was in Leeds the other weekend.
During the first lockdown, the members had a whip round and bought me a number of lovely presents as a thanks for what we’d done for them at a challenging time.
Amongst other things was two nights in a hotel in Leeds and a meal at the restaurant Fazenda.
It’s taken us getting on for two years to able to go / fit it in.
We had a lovely weekend.
Amongst other things we checked out whilst there was Kirkstall Abbey – the ruin of (you guessed it) an Abbey to the north west of the city centre.
It was pretty cool.
I do quite like a quick explore around really old buildings from time to time.
There’s one thing I can guarantee you’ll overhear when looking around such places.
I’ve given it away in the blog title, I know.
“They built things to last back then”.
Always someone (or more) who says it.
Which I get.
It’s pretty impressive that it’s been there for several hundred years.
But, let’s be honest, most buildings from back then haven’t lasted.
Most buildings made at the time weren’t much more than wooden huts.
I’m pretty confident that a lower percentage of buildings lasted from, let’s say 1350 to 1400 than are still standing now having been built in 1972.
Sure, the massive, super sturdy ones made at great expense lasted.
But so will the modern equivalent (and probably even more so).
It’s an example of a very prevalent thought process in society.
That the world is “worse” than it used to be.
Even though a quick scan of some comparisons shows it clearly isn’t, overall.
Childhood mortality in the UK was 35 times higher 100 years ago than it is now (or still 5.5 times higher just 50 years ago).
Less than half the number of people live in what’s officially classed as poverty in that time frame (globally a much, much bigger drop).
Pay inequalities are at their lowest ever.
And there are countless other stats that show how much better life is compared to only a few generations ago.
None of this means that we should settle where we are.
That there isn’t still “work to be done”.
That the current situation is ok.
But it does bring into question the mindset of “things getting worse”.
Which is usually underpinned by a taking for granted of what we do have.
The human brain is very good at instantly forgetting the majority of the day or week that goes as expected……….
Concentrating more on the relatively small bit that didn’t go as we’d ideally have liked.
Acclimatising to the improvements in our life like settling into a hot bath.
The good bits soon becoming our new “normal”.
The gap between where we are and where we’d like to be never shrinking.
Always moving the targets.
Like a horizon that we’ll never reach.
A balance of acceptance of the imperfections of the world………..
With an appreciation of what we do have………..
Whilst also working to better areas of our life (or the lives of others)……….
Is a skill.
And, as with all skills, we get better at it with practice.
Much love,
Jon ‘I used to live on a (different) Kirkstall Road’ Hall
P.S. You want proven help (with a money back guarantee) on making some positive changes? Reply with INFO and we’ll let you know how we can do that!
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