OuT of tune with the world

Out of tune with the world tells how Bernard Preston finds meaning in life in his green garden.

My last Green Home column, inspired by the Yates poem given to me by my true Blue Zone aunt brought many positive comments.

• Nine bean rows and a hive for the honeybee
  

So very tentatively I share with you another given to me by her; we email weekly. This one is by Wordsworth, only altogether more difficult. “The World is Too Much With Us.”

Aunt Blythe is one of those people way ahead of her time; she has practised what is now being called the “plant-based diet” all of her life. That does not necessarily mean being vegan, just eating a lot of fruit, salads and legumes; nuts, seeds and whole grains too.

The research is unequivocal; they are far more healthy, especially those who grow as much as possible themselves. Aunt Blythe turned 98 in July; she works one morning a week at the local charity shop, walks every afternoon and belongs to a book-club that meets regularly. She lives on her own at the top of a flight of stairs that must be tackled several times daily. She has a substantial garden.

The best story about her though is that until six years ago, she and a friend went on a five mile walk on Sunday mornings (in Shropshire), had a cup of tea at a pub and caught the bus home. As originally told they actually shared a beer but that apparently is urban legend; she denies it now emphatically! She does enjoy a wee dram in the evening though; just one she assures me.

Her sister, my mother Unity was also a bookworm. She matriculated dux from GHS at 16 and wanted to go to America to train as a chiropractor. Her parents said she was too young and should first spend a couple semesters at Natal University. She started a BA and then took a ship to the States with another woman, returning some 7 years later with a Yankee husband, a small son and a DC degree.

Divorced some 20 years later she decided to complete her BA majoring in English literature and psychology. When she eventually passed away some 30 years ago, the cigarettes cut off her life as they do, I inherited a huge pile of dusty, musty and mostly profound books. My wife was all set to send the lot to the Hospice shop but I refused. “I’m going to read them!” was my cry.

The complete works of Shakespeare

Unlike my aunt and mother, I did not inherit the family “taal-knobbeltje;” that little bump on the brain that some lucky people have. In fact English was one of my weakest subjects at school; and the 42% for Afrikaans nearly caused me to fail matric. Steadily and slowly I worked through the pile of books.

Aunt Blythe went through them with me and half in fact did go to the second-hand shop eventually. Until only one was left. The Complete Works of Shakespeare!

I put it off time and again until one rainy day I had no book to read. And so made a start on The Tempest. Whew, it was difficult as were the next two. By the time I got to Much Ado About Nothing I was beginning to appreciate the genius of the great author and even enjoy the plays. Taming of the Shrew is stuttering along. I’m planning on being a Blue Zone guy, living long enough to complete the tome!

The Blue Zone toast

The Rape of Lucrece has been by far the most moving so far.

Perhaps because rape, especially of children has almost become the acceptable norm in South Africa.

There seems little concern from the authorities that Interpol has named SA as the “Rape Capital of the World.” This poem by Shakespeare should be a matric set-work for every generation.

I realise I have already lost most of my readers! For those who have braved the day, "The World Is Too Much With Us" is worth a ponder. My first attempt was a complete disaster, I had not a clue. Then I applied the ancient way of studying the Bible known as Lectio Divina; letting go of today’s agenda and opening ourselves to what the author is trying to say and seeking what sticks out for us. Read the poem at least four times and chew the cud.

I will not spoil Wordsworth’s poem for you. You too go and struggle with it. But what stood out for me is a huge thankfulness that Our Green Garden has helped me get back in tune with life. That is where I go to be alone, active but mentally still. I have discovered how to “make Nature mine.” I have not seen any fairies, nor heard Triton blowing his wreathed horn; but I have learned to commune with God and appreciate the sound of music from a thousand little voices.

I have learned to share the mountain of food with others less fortunate. No one who knows about gardening should ever go hungry; you will produce an excess. I discovered the elixir for my dreadful intestine, if ever there is a cure for anything; it lay in large amounts of fibre from the fruit and vegetables we enjoy, especially the greens. I found that Dr Fletcher was right; chewing every mouthful 32 times literally has huge benefits from the brain to the anus!

The pumpkin family incidentally is the ancient natural remedy for raised blood glucose.

• Pumpkin for diabetes
  

If you too feel out of tune with the world, if you have found that “getting and spending” didn’t satisfy that deep inner part of your soul and you really want to be more healthy, “late and soon” do try a little gardening. Time is running out for the winter veg so rather put in bought seedlings this month.

Broccoli seedlings

Out of tune with the world

Out of tune with the world brings a few thoughts from William Wordsworth.

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