Among my favourite books and movies are: 'All Creatures Great and Small' and 'Home Run'. They both deal with different topics, but have running through them a common thread: Both are stories of acceptance of one's lot but not giving in to them, armed with  fortitude, resilience and bravery.

 

The first book is of Yorkshire farmers families battling the terrain and the elements in Yorkshire and also austerity brought on by a recession and war.

 

The second is of RAF personnel attempting to get home to England from France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland after bailing out of their planes and the brave people of the  'escape lines' some only young girls, that risked their lives to help them. 

I read them and wonder if the spirit they possessed is to be found in Europe any more, or have we been pampered and cosseted so much that we find scapegoats in politicians and bankers for the conditions created with our connivance. I and my sister have never paid for anything we could not afford and I saved for over a year to buy a camera for £6, 13 shillings and 3pence, my brother had to catch a train and two buses to get to school, every day, and the same back.

 

Five of us lived in a house with one room and 2 bedrooms, The other room was a shop. Now if a child has no TV in his room they are in poverty conditions and if they have no mobile phone! Well, it's just doesn't bear thinking about.

Now I see supposedly educated people,  in receipt of  very comfortable incomes,  striking when already in a time of crisis for our country and designed to make their fellow citizens even more miserable than the existing conditions make for them.

 

This is tacitly supported by Labour politicians hoping the economy gets even worse so they can chorus: 'We told you so'. Licensed louts with cameras, spitting at people and MP's fiddling expenses, employees  who hack emails for cash and kudos.

 

The employees at Bletchley Park kept the secret of 'Enigma' for 30-40 years after the war ended, now it would have been leaked after 10 minutes to some tabloid for much money and damn the war effort! 

I almost weep at the lack of those traits of integrity, honesty and decency we once held and indeed, have in these past few years, met people in their 60s and 70s say in their own words, that they don't mind dying as much now, because 'at least we don't have to live in this greedy, selfish world any more'.

 

That's why I read and view stories of the past with delight. For a reassurance that one we did have these traits and praying we can recover them.

Mr P Day

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