Seeing the extraordinary
Catherine Allan recently made a move from being a writer and editor to training to become a healer and reflexologist. She enjoys painting, walking and gardening; she doesn't like it when squirrels steal the birds' nuts.
(Background music - Harp)
"In my first Spring here I had a baby. I bought her pictures of fairies but my cynical nature wouldn't let me put them on the wall... cool people didn't do fairies.
I became ill, several days at a time for years... bored, angry and in pain, sometimes even thinking hurt. Between illness everything looked ugly... cracked concrete and weeds.
One day I could only sit still outside but in that stillness I saw how beautiful the weeds were. Those small beautiful things made me want to live and to see that the world beyond the concrete was beautiful... then I realised that in its way, cracked concrete was beautiful too.
Last year I put figures of fairies in the garden. My cool voice said, "You're too old for fairies - they're naff!" I said, "So what, they're pretty."
Within days two perfect fairy rings grew in front of them.
Cynical people said coincidence. But I said, "Years that wood chips been there but not a mushroom. Now two rings of toad stools, just to let me know they're there."
Y Tylwyth teg.
Even my cynical voice was impressed. Now, when I go for a walk in the woods it says that looks like a door in the tree... they might be there. Sit still and watch.
Life can be hard... finding beautiful things makes it bearable. I love life now... every moment is precious. I notice what happens around me and see amazing unexpected things everyday... I see the universe play."
Catherine Allan
