Big moment in a little courtyard

[smokingboot]

Before the show yesterday, my wanderings took me to the British Museum, oldest and dearest to my imagination.

I walked in, perused some glory and walked out again, perplexed, because it didn't touch me. Were the ideas too old, too known, or was it just the sunshine that called me outside? The front courtyard has been landscaped into likeness of a South African garden, with birds of paradise plants, and aloe trees...above all, cape daisies everywhere. I don't know what was wrong with me, I just stood in front of all these daisies and nearly cried like an idiot. Not because I was sad...I so wasn't. But it occurred to me that the view was worth everything in the museum.

I recall a time when my dreams of being a grown-up included thoughts of an Indiana Jones type adventuress finding treasures in the abyss, discovering legends of ancient times, lost cities from before the flood. Yesterday, I walked among the flowers blinking in sunlight, my only desire being for the garden to stretch out before me forever, for as long as I could walk.

Comments

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

So you didn't find the secret underground lost city that the British Museum was built over? Its inhabited by undead Roman soldiers so it's pretty darn dangerous, but well worth a look...

On a serious note - perhaps you were just responding to a contrast between the sterility of most museum exhibits and the slice of nature. Nature can do that sometimes. I think it's about beauty and our place within it and the way we get removed from it most of the time. We inhabit our own man-made 'museum spaces' most of the time and generally become as sterile as the exhibits can be sometimes, but deep down we are really all about being a part of nature. *hug*

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

*Big hug back*

Thank you for these thoughts.

I think I have changed recently. I am tired of chewed up dreams. I spent last weekend in Epping Forest, and could feel my soul returning to life. Refreshment!