Lavender

I have a job working in the shop of my local National Trust property.  It is an Arts and Crafts house designed by the architect Philip Webb.  For over 100 years it has stood in East Grinstead overlooking the reservoir.  In fact I believe that the house was built before the reservoir was even there.  I am lucky enough to spend my working day in this wonderful building and when I look out of my window there, I see an ever changing landscape before me.  Inevitably the view is quite often taken for granted and some days I forget to take a moment to look and savour what is before me.   

Beneath my window lies the Lavender Lawn.  Once in bloom, the Lavender will frame the canvas of grass and entice the bees and butterflies into the garden.  It is a beautiful sight and I never tire from looking at it.  Visitors stroll past and cannot resist pinching a leaf and then smelling the aroma of the distinctive scent on their fingers.  The lavender is of course yet to bloom but whilst working this past weekend, I found my attention distracted by a young lady who settled herself on the grass beneath the window.  She then proceeded to spend many hours drawing part of the house.  I couldn’t help but watch her as she lost herself in the building, breaking down each brick and tile so that she could transfer the image onto her paper.  She was capturing the house in her own unique way and this made me think about writing.  As a writer I am trying to capture a moment, a place, a feeling and bring it to the reader in my own way.  It is an artistic expression and if I succeed my reader will translate that story so that it then becomes theirs.  They decide what to take from it and what to miss.  I think that is what I love about literature.  Every time I pick up a book, it becomes my personal experience.  Quite often I read too quickly as I am carried along by the story.  Sometimes it is good to slow down and really look at the detail; this I think can be good advice for all areas of life.  Rushing around we miss so much; time to slow down and smell the lavender.