In early winter there was an unexpected lull between deadlines, so I drove from Cape Town to Barrydale to visit a new retreat with a few other media people. The first major Cape winter storm was looming but in the Little Karoo the fire was crackling, the food was delicious and the company was top-notch. It was a much-needed outing for me. Because as enjoyable as ‘working from home' is, it can become quite monotonous walking from your bedroom to the ‘office' every day and back again at night. I was desperate to get out!
The retreat is reader Terry de Vries's new place. We featured her gorgeous home in our July 2021 issue (check it out on News24.com/home) and now she has created a retreat with a lush garden and a rose quartz labyrinth on a spacious property on the other side of town. Soon, visitors will be able to take a breather there (we'll show you the retreat in a future issue). It was exactly what I needed.
When the rain abated for a while, Terry took us on a tour through the garden so we could experience the labyrinth. As she explained at its hewn stone entrance, a labyrinth is not a maze. People often make the mistake of thinking that they are the same thing.
The purpose of a maze is to lead you astray, for you to get lost in its network of paths and hedges. But there's only one path in a labyrinth. You follow it, step by step, until you reach the middle. You can't get lost but you may end up taking a detour along the way - you might even feel as if you're heading in the wrong direction!
That's how it is, explains Terry. Just follow the path. I took so much comfort from walking the labyrinth that morning. There were five of us and, one by one, we went through the entrance, thoughtful and with only the sound of our footsteps for company. We gave each other a few minutes' grace, so that everyone could walk at their own pace. Sometimes we brushed past each other when the labyrinth's twists and turns forced us together; at other times, we were far apart. But in the end, as Terry said, we all arrived at a single end point, detours and all. A moment of quiet togetherness.
When I drove back to Cape Town in the late afternoon, that labyrinth was still on my mind. I plan to remind myself of that morning regularly. Because life is not a maze. No, it's a labyrinth. Just follow the path!
This issue is jam-packed with inspiration on every page. From the homes to a special bathroom focus, from an extraordinary renovation project to the gardens, there's a wealth of ideas and plans from readers who've put their own stamp on their spaces. They, too, have followed their own paths, with amazing results.
Enjoy!
• Our popular Decor school in partnership with Mr Price Home is back. Click for all the details and don't delay if you're keen to attend - last year, the places were snapped up in no time at all!
• If you love doing projects with chalk paint, our new masterclass series, Step by Step with Chalk Paint, is just for you! It's an online course consisting of 10 masterclasses that you can work through in the comfort of your own home.
The next issue of Home will be on sale from 26 August.
