What brings you peace?

I visited Hinton Ampner in July when visiting my best friend for a few days. I wanted to get away from home for a bit to relax and its always food for the soul to spend time with my best friend of over 25 years (gulp!). While she went to work (how mean can I be!) I was a tourist in and around Southampton. I have been a member of the National Trust for years and love to walk around their beautiful houses and gardens, but this place really affected me.

Walking through the beautiful Georgian style house, I felt like (if I had the money!) I could just move straight in and pick up the lifestyle that was lived here back in the 1930s. The Georgian design of the house interior, with muted colours, high, bright windows and lush deep pile carpet that I could imagine sinking my feet into, felt like home.

Dappled sunlight rippled across the wooden floor of the hallway as the front door is thrown open in welcome – beckoning everyone in to enjoy its comfort and warmth.
The huge fireplaces, surrounded by well-used, soft sofas and beautiful, polished table furniture, were surrounded by cases and piles of books and filled with gorgeous pieces of art that caught your eye and attention and bought a smile to your face.

The sweeping staircase, leading up to luxurious bedrooms with high, soft beds that look as if they would swallow you up into a comforting hug, had muted lighting and silk covered walls, cocooning you in their warmth and comfort. All had spectacular views into the immaculate gardens, awash with colour and greenery and sweeping down to the plush countryside beyond.

Downstairs the butler’s pantry and kitchen area is set up and ready to go, full of you and your guests favourite food and tipples, and of course there would have been servants ‘willing’ to fetch and carry whatever you or your guests desire.

I’m imagining tea on the lawn in the summer, entertaining friends and family and relaxing in the library with a good book next to roaring fires in the winter…. and even though all of this is a dream of time gone by and (very) unlikely to be a reality to me….I felt very much at peace.

As I sat on a wooden bench in the gardens, the sun shining (finally – it poured down for 20 minutes just before) I took a moment to take a deep breath and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere. Taking a deep breath in and absorbing the warmth from the sun, I allowed myself to focus on the buzzing bees, the soft wind through the trees and the songs of the birds flying above.

Nothing else clouded my mind, no thought entered my head – I was fully in the moment and at peace. It felt wonderful.

What brings you peace? And do you make the time to find it enough? Even for a few minutes?

A warm bubble bath? A cup of tea with a magazine? A walk in the countryside? A potter around the garden? A drink with a friend?

I hope you do and will continue to make time for yourself and the things that bring you happiness and peace.