I am reminded of a brief moment in time when I was a young man in Australia. I found myself in Jindabyne, in the Snowy Mountains and stopped into a pub & ordered myself a Schooner of New. As I drew my first mouthful I heard some loud laughter coming from the far corner. As I turned to look at them, the barman said "Oh, they're building houses over there". He was referring to their conversation of course. There was no actual work being done. Just a bunch of guys who worked together and who, after a couple of drinks, could build as good a home as any. Well, at least in conversation.
I was immediately reminded of the many references to the 23rd of June in so many of the weaving songs. No weaving ever really took place in these songs. The 23rd of June was the weavers' holiday.(coincides with Summer Solstice or something) The weaving mills were horrible, noisy, dangerous, depressing places which in no way could ever lend itself to a healthy sing-song.
I realized then that we haven't really changed so much from one generation to another. In my mind, the hustle & bustle around me is entirely irrelevant. I take up very little space and am absolutely content with the simplest of pleasures. I often wonder how many of us feel the same way and are so easily distracted from life's complications by just the singing of a sweet song or the sharing of a simple story at the end of the day.