A personal reflection on an oasis of calm #wellbeing
Exploring the beauty of Winterbourne House and Gardens; past memories brought alive by the magic of words and imagination.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” - Charles Dickens
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
When in doubt, I always seek the wisdom of the ages and I can't think of a better description of our time than from the great Victorian himself. It is exactly in these uncertain times that I would find solace and peace in nature and the wonderful gardens of Winterbourne House. Over the last decade I have visited the house and gardens through good times and sad; from personal visits with my family to business meetings, but I have always had one of Birmingham's best kept secrets as a haven to escape to. But Covid-19 had other plans.
It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity
So, as a despairing world stopped, Kim and I turned to our belief that we all have all the resources that we need within us. Whether it is wisdom or hope, it is within our grasp. And, with that in mind we decided to return to Winterbourne – guiding our imagination and recalling those wonderful memories as if they were happening now. The scent of the flowers, the myriad colours, the grandness of trees and the serene beauty of the Japanese garden all came alive in the movie of our mind.
It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair
As they saying goes, spring always follows winter and with the will to help others missing the gardens, Kim and I approached Tessa at Winterbourne so we could share the gardens with its supporters. A guided meditative walk through the gardens quickly followed and was shared online.
And as I reflect on how wonderfully powerful our imagination is, I am reminded of the Tale of two cities and the choice that we always have between light and darkness.
Thank you, Winterbourne House and Gardens.