Ever The Same

    
Why is it, you might ask, that period pieces such as the PBS Masterpiece series“Mr. Selfridge” that is currently on television and “Call The Midwife” are so very popular?  “Downtown Abbey”, which is in between seasons at the moment, took this country by storm – everyone was talking about it and one quickly realized that it was near the top of the “Most Popular” list!

Those of us who live on this side of “the pond” have a facination with the English and it would seem that all things British capture our attention.  But that doesn’t explain the wild popularity of the American drama, “Madmen“, set in 1960’s Manhattan.

There is the historical factor to consider, when examining why these programs are so well received and watched.  There is quite an interest in programs that are set in the past, whether here in America or overseas in England.  Certainly the  period style and fashions and interior design represented are of interest, but that alone cannot account for how popular these rograms are.

One reason, we feel, that they are so popular, is because they show that no matter what century or country you are living in, we all have similar life challenges.    They come wrapped a little differently, perhaps, but basically, they are the same.

At a time in the world we find ourselves, when everything moves at light speed, news is broadcast via social media literally in seconds across the globe, and the culture changes faster than we can keep up with, there is more than ever the need to know that some things never change.  There is comfort in realizing that whether you lived in 1913 or are living in 2013, one thing is still the same….human nature.  One doesn’t have to travel too far to realize that there are common denominators across the board…the need to love and to be loved, the need to feel some significance, the need to make a difference and leave behind something of value.

Regardless of what the clothes look like and whether the characters in these stories live in a castle in the English countryside or a high rise apartment in Manhattan or the unsavory East end of London, people are still people.

If you haven’t yet watched these programs, make it a point to check them out.   You are in for some great entertainment, some historical info, you’ll see some lovely clothes and quite likely experience comfort in the reminder that whatever challenges or joys your life may hold, someone (or many someones) before have felt just as you do.  Because no matter when or where or who it pertains to, at the end of the day we are all of us “ever the same”.  We all are hoping for lives full of love, joy and abundant living.