THE LAST TIME I SAW LONDON

BY DAN MILLER
(originally posted July 11, 2005)

Though we haven't been there in years, Karen and I talk a lot about the picturesque backroads of the English countryside.

England is laced with breathtaking castles and gardens.
And while my knowledge of flowers, shrubs, trees and landscaping is confined pretty much to saying, "Ah, that's beautiful", Karen managed to educate me in little snippets as we went along.

On our last visit, several years before our (now) six-year old was born -- (in fact, before she was even a twinkle in our eyes) -- one of our best day trips was to a place called Sissinghurst Castle Garden.
The garden at Sissinghurst was the creation of writer and poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband, diplomat and writer Harold Nicolson.

They purchased the old mansion in 1930. The original home was built in the 1560s, and what remains of that original structure is the impressive double tower in the photo I've included here.

If you climb the spiral staircase in the tower, you can look right into the cluttered little room where Vita Sackville-West did her writing.
It's very much like the place I'm writing this right now.... (well, at least the cluttered part).

The garden is unlike any I've seen before or since.
A serene and unpredictable place of beauty and peace.
And even in the middle of summer, you can walk the the paths and creeks with no bothersome insects whatsoever -- except for a few friendly honeybees.

Vita Sackville-West lived a controversial and unorthodox lifestyle, and was either liked or thoroughly despised, depending on who you ask.
But, nobody questioned her gifts.

Vita's best poem was called THE LAND, and was awarded the Hawthorne Prize in 1927.

The country habit has me by the heart,
For he's bewitched for ever who has seen,
Not with his eyes but with his vision,
Spring
Flow down the woods and stipple leaves
with sun.
('Winter' from The Land)

I've thought a lot about England in recent days, as we all have.

I'm sickened by the attacks by the mass murderers, whoever they are.
I'm hesitant to give them even the dubious legitimacy of being labeled "terrorists".
They are heartless murderers.

Someday, somewhere, I hope an answer will emerge to all the hatred in the world.
And when it does, I'm certain the answer won't come from everyone living the same way, looking the same, or even thinking the same way..... because that will never happen.

And when the way out is revealed, I don't believe the credit will go to guns and bombs and violence and death.

With great irony, a simple yet eloquent proclamation for peace came several years ago from a troubled, petty criminal, after he was beaten by Los Angeles police -- and dangerous social unrest was steaming.

Remember?
Rodney King said, "Please, can we all get along?"

That may be the seed of an answer.

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