Turns out that, all this time, it was in the marvellous Poetry Pharmacy in Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. If you've not been, it's well worth a visit; they've repeatedly won awards for top independent bookshop in the UK (one from the Sunday Times, I believe).
I sat looking at it this morning while drinking some delightful breakfast tea. Realising just how ridiculous the idea is.
I mean, just look at this thing for a moment and tell me: is this what you want? A perfect balance between life and work (which apparently isn't life)? I assume the work side is mostly cruddy and the life side mostly ok; that's how we use the phrase, at any rate. So, enough ok to counterbalance the crud?
I don't think I want balance. I want life. I want life that's life-giving and work that's life-giving. Or life and work that can be made life-giving. Or is that too much to ask? What do you think?
Dallas would be proud ... sounds like a God-soaked life!
ReplyDeleteGet yourself a copy of 'Jesus' Day Off' by Nicholas Allan. The best theological expression of sabbath that I've encountered, reminding me of the Westminster Confession : "The chief end of (wo)man is to glorify God BY enjoying him forever"!
Good to see mention of The Poetry Pharmacy. I am fortunate to live within 5 miles of 2 independent bookshops both nominated in the Independent Bookshop of the Year finalist list. One of them is Next Page Books who is a children's bookshop, specialising in neurodiversity. They search out books with characters who are autistic, have dyslexia or ADHD or have anxieties. I particularly liked ‘I Really Really Need a Wee’.
ReplyDeleteAlison, where is NPB? Sounds right up my street, as there is much to learn from children's books even as adults!
DeleteThey are based in Hitchin which is in Hertfordshire. I love their online statement on nextpagebooks.co.uk 'We also have a small but perfectly formed selection for grown-ups'
DeleteOk you did ask...
ReplyDeleteThere is a small elite minority who can escape the work life balance situation. It is great if there is something that one can excel in that is not drudgery, then fantastic! They say that if you have a job you love, you'll never work again!! The vast majority of people work in a situation where there can be light moments, but basically there is an acceptance that the job buys 35-40 of your hours of the 168 hours in the week and those paid hours fund the rest. Without this approach food production, infrastructure, trades, manufacturing, logistics and other essential services which allow survival of the species couldn't happen.... Are there many people working in industrial estates who found their job life giving? Doubt it.... there is a balance though, it does not need to be miserable,
although it often is... There are many with mental health issues who have been fed an unrealsitic dream that they can pursue their passion of making their hobby support them when they'd fare better looking through available jobs, selecting one in keeping with their skills that will support them, provide a belonging as part of a team, a home and allow them to pay tax to support others...
Clearly those truly in gifted in their passion should be encouraged.
I believe the work situation and the options it presents are a direct result of Genesis ch3..
I also find the secular writings of Matthew B Crawford, (which I discovered while on holiday in Colorado) to be interesting studies of the value (not monetary) of various types of work and the approach to it. See Shop Class as Soulcraft....