Choose Life
My wife tells a tale of her Irish childhood.
It is a tale of a sweet shop. And choosing.
I adore the way the story rolls off the tongue between stifled giggles. A tale that feels like a first-hand memory. But it is the recollection of a comedy skit; a deliciously subversive observation on the cravings that drive all our childhoods; carefree days for learning that we need to cut our coat according to our cloth.
Back to the sketch. Comedy duo Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny – the D’Unbelievables – weave lyrical magic around the pennies available and the rich over-abundant selection of sweets on show. Can I have “one of dem and two of dem”?
Choosing.
Choices.
The temptations of more.
We all have ‘dem’ but we want ‘dem’ too.
Last year, we made a fresh choice. We choose to have less. Less stuff. Sell the house; no debt. Reduce our belongings; travel lighter. Buy less, but buy better.
None of ‘dem’ … less of ‘dem’
Reduced responsibilities. More freedoms. Choosing a different path; increasing our agility.
Fewer belongings; fewer longings.
Now, this has become our tale.
People respond as if it is a comedy skit. You sold your house? Life in a van? Where are your things? Surely you need a few of ‘dem’ and a couple of ‘dem’?
No, it turns out that you don’t.
The less you have, the less you need.
Less is a choice.
And you wonder why you didn’t make it earlier.
This piece of writing is inspired by Tanya Shadrick, whose monthly extracts from her book ‘The Cure for Sleep’ include a writing prompt; it is an encouraging call to arms for aspirant writers to let some words flow. In June, the trigger was ‘On Choosing’, which stirs memories of choices we have made
