If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

One of my favourite films growing up, and indeed the book it was based on, was The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I cared less for her other well known book A Little Princess, but that is not to say that it was lesser in quality, merely that it did not appeal to me in the same way as the first.

It has taken me some time to work out what exactly was so powerful for a young perhaps seven year old me, that is still equally, or maybe even more potent to me as a 27 year old woman. But I think I know now.

You see, people think they are so powerful, and intelligent, and better than other elements of the world. And this book proved to me that they are not.

There are other greater forces at play than our own ego, intelligence and actions.

The sun will still rise regardless of whether we are happy.

The sun will still set regardless of whether we are finished with our tasks for the day.

The flowers will bloom in spring like they always have.

I have so much more to say on this topic, but its been a long time since I published a post, so rather than elongate this one (and potentially forget to publish it for another 5-6 months), I shall post this one now for your perusal.

And I will finish this piece with another extremely powerful quote from STP (Sir Terry Pratchett):

“WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HADN’T SAVED HIM?

“Yes! The sun would have risen just the same, yes?”

NO

“Oh, come on. You can’t expect me to believe that. It’s an astronomical fact.”

THE SUN WOULD NOT HAVE RISEN.

…

“Really? Then what would have happened, pray?”

A MERE BALL OF FLAMING GAS WOULD HAVE ILLUMINATED THE WORLD.”

Susan, talking philosophically with her grandfather, DEATH, in STP’s Hogfather.

Wishing everyone well in what has turned out to be a very bizarre, and transformational year. 🙂