Dear LPG,

I read something that Rudy wrote not so long ago, when he commented on how the way that we all view our Sundays has changed over the years (►►►). 

He mentioned that before the Sunday trading act of 1994, for most, there was nothing to do on a Sunday but have a weekly rest which he thought to be a good thing regardless of what we were resting from.  

When I was young, a lot more primary school children were sent to Sunday school even if their parents did not go with them, but once I got to my mid-teens and left school, like Rudy and so many other young men, I can remember a few ‘morning after the night before’ sessions that occurred on those Sundays when I did a lot of waking up well after midday with a bit of a headache. 

Attending Church was part of growing up for so many post-war youngsters back then.  I think that many will also remember the family day when everyone would end up at Grandma or an aunt’s house for dinner where we all caught up with what was going on in each other’s lives more regularly; something that the government took away from so many of us when they changed the status of our Sundays by transforming them into days when we could shop and work.  I also think that, whatever the religion, the kids of our generation learned some serious life-principles when we were being dragged off to which ever place of worship we attended.

Even today, when I watch those early evening game shows on television and the religious questions come up, I am quite surprised at how many I know the answers to, while most of the younger contestants have to answer with that one-word substitute, ‘pass’.   I know that it is said that such questions are always easier to answer when you are watching on TV, and I suppose that such knowledge can be put down to all the time I have had to learn and retain details from a variety of religions over the years and from the school of life, but the grounding that religion and the school subject of R E gave us seemed to stick a bit more in those days even if we weren’t always paying full attention. It has to be said that retirement can be rather like weeks of endless Sundays if we are not careful; not to mention the effects of a year of lockdown.

There are also the working years when there just is no time for all that stuff, but they are often followed by a time when a few of us oldies return to our religious roots.  Perhaps it has to do with being nearer to wondering what comes after this life, finding a group of people to identify with again for the lonelier pensioners, or the social aspect of getting together that can often be missing as we get older.   

I think that, in spite of my wayward years, I am talking about the ones where I spent them recovering from those Saturday night discos, catching up on DIY jobs, having a family day or just letting them pass me by while I slept right through, made them special.  I took a look at some online statistics which tell a different story with the same theme and for those who are interested I have asked LPG to leave links below.

One thing that being locked down and having had that extra time to communicate electronically or by phone has done for many of us is teach us how to stay in contact, catch up and keep in contact with our family more regularly, just like we used to on the Sundays of the past.  I hope we can take that habit into futures with us whatever day of the week we choose.   

ES, Rushey Green

ES leaves his findings…

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