The Christmas holidays have brought a much needed rest for
me, with the chance to catch-up with family and friends. I always find the
period between Christmas day to New Year’s Day a strange time, as people seem
to become focussed upon finding the best deals and the latest gadgets. I found
myself drawn into this whirlpool of consumerism, as I tensely searching the
websites of running stores to buy my preferred running shoe at the cheapest
price. I convinced myself that it was necessary to obtain these shoes, as I aim
to be running the London Marathon in 2019; however I couldn’t help thinking
that I had become caught up in the spending rat race that characterises
Christmas now. This vast splurge of spending was contrasted with the sad news
in the run-up to Christmas of a homeless
man dying near the Houses of Parliament. It seems that homelessness is
becoming an increasing problem in the UK, with complex causes and taking place
against a harsh economic climate and volatile political situation. Regardless
of your political or religious beliefs I found this clip I listened to on Radio 4
to be a relevant call to action about how we – as a society – confront
homelessness, as well as show some compassion for our fellow man. Whilst people
may not agree with the religious message, it does serve as a counter-point to
the increasing material nature of Christmas.
