Open All Hours was a much enjoyed sitcom, set in a small Yorkshire grocer’s shop that’s ‘open all hours’. The owner, Arkwright (Ronnie Barker), is a middle-aged miser with a stammer; his nephew Granville (David Jason) is his put-upon errand boy with no social life. Arkwright’s engaged to nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Lynda Baron)…
In the last fifty years shopping habits have changed. Now big supermarkets as well as corner shops are open all hours.
Yesterday, reading ‘In Her Words’… Patricia St John writes about her memories of her father. He sent her this advice in a letter:
‘…keep an open mind, hospitable to the truth as it comes to you, an open heart ready to entertain the demands of love, and an open hand ready to give and serve.’
Wow! An open mind is willing to admit that I’m wrong; an open heart loves the least loveable; an open hand holds possessions, position and power lightly… Open all hours.
Yesterday I spent several hours chatting with gents at men’s shed… the usual mixture… caring for elderly parents, the wife’s mental health, tests for possible cancer, education, grandchildren, hypocritical politicians…
It struck me again… I need open ears, to listen carefully both to what’s being said, and what’s unsaid; I need open eyes, to see problems, concerns and anxieties; I need an open mouth, that says the right thing and the right time… but can also keep closed… I’m challenged to be open all hours.
This morning I read Mark 15. Jesus, who opened minds with his teaching, who opened ears and eyes with his healing, has his hands opened wide as they’re nailed to a cross. I pause, musing on how costly an open heart of compassion can be…
But then in Mark 16 there’s resurrection. The women have open eyes to see it, open ears to hear it, and open mouths to tell others. Death becomes life, sadness becomes joy, despair becomes hope. The closed tomb becomes an open tomb, It’s open all hours.
malcolmsmusings.org 
I’m going to check out the “Open all Hours” sitcom. I need a good laugh. Great reflections, Malcolm. 🙂
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It’s on Youtube, Nancy. I think it’s very funny, but how the British humour with Yorkshire accents would come across to an American audience I really don’t know.
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My husband and I are partial to British sitcoms. 🙂
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Good stuff, Malcolm. Thank you!
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Thank you. They’ve certainly been helpful but challenging thoughts to me, Mark…
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Thank you for reminding us to stay open, Malcolm. It seems, most often, our opportunities to help someone happens at unexpected times, places, and ways.
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Great thought, Dana – not just being open, but staying open and awake for the unexpected. Thank you.
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Yes, awake too!
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I’m with you, Malcolm. I need those ears and eyes, too. May it be so in your life and mine!
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It’s a constant prayer, David… We don’t know what tomorrow will bring us.
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Openness – such an amazing trait to grow in every sense! Thank you, Malcolm!
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I think, Wynne, I’m concluding that there are different shades and flavours of openness… most of which I need to get better at. But that’s OK. The awareness is a start.
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