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My Favourite Place
I feel calm here, relaxed and happy. The air is filled with a sweet aroma, not a
manufactured scent but a fresh, natural perfume, impossible to bottle.
It isn’t a big space and not small either, I would describe it as "cosy". It
nestles comfortably between wide, open fields to the left and red brick houses
to the right.
It is a haven, my own respite from the world, I sing at the top of my voice
here, from joy, from the sheer happiness of just being here. I can laugh so
loudly tears run freely down my face. And, more than anything I am loved here. I
feel love envelope me and swirl around me whilst I am here. I love here.
When I arrive and glance up I am greeted by the sight of beautiful green grass,
sometimes cropped short, too short. Other times left to grow wild, not in a
magical, delicate way but in a natural, harmonious way.
I never walk over this grass, instead I love to walk around and crunch across
the gravel laid thickly to one side. The gravel, once lovingly raked flat, now
lays, almost forgotten, in waves like the sea in a storm. Pushed up into tiny
rocky mounds and leaving other patches bare and scared by the marks from tiny
feet.
A blue, wooden gate blocks my path and I can unlatch it easily, allowing it to
swing open on rusted, un-oiled hinges. I step through and it slams shut quickly,
forced by the wind and with the hinges protesting loudly. A very sorrowful
looking blue gate is enough to take me from a noisy, traffic-fumed filled
violent world to a world filled with love and calm.
I inhale deeply and can smell rabbits and flowers and smelly trainers cast aside
in a rush for the owner to be somewhere else. I smell too, leaves rotting in an
old fish tank, once a lovingly created haven for ladybirds whom have long since
flown away.
I have a key for here. Not a shiny gold spectacular key but a little silver
coloured one. It could open anywhere, this insignificant key but I know it
unlocks this special place, this place of love and peace. It has a photograph
hanging beside this key. I look at it in wonder and see three of the most
beautiful, cherubic children ever to have walked this earth, gazing back at me.
They are all smiling broadly, clinging on tightly as a rollercoaster rushes them
past the camera.
I unlock this special place and step inside. I look around and know if anyone
other than I had stepped through this door they would be seeing mess, the
aftermath of a burglary, of a violent struggle or, even a small nuclear
disaster. I see none of that. I see a beautiful picture of flowers and
butterflies, the artist leaving their tools out ready for their return. I see
small cars lined up with great care and precision, like the M25 at rush hour,
snaking across the floor. I see a small square Lego house built by someone
showing signs of becoming a great architect. I see one small welly boot without
its partner and a Noddy pyjama top, jam splodged across the front.
I follow sticky finger prints into another room and I sit.
I sit and I think how lucky I am and how special to me my favourite place is. I
look up and I see it isn’t long until school is over for another day and I will
soon hear laughter and moans as homework needs to be done and, no you can’t have
another biscuit.
This place, this magical wonderful place? It’s my home.
Home Sweet Home
Wall Decal
Buy at AllPosters.com
Reviews
(applause received) 
Susan Brooks
United Kingdom
"Hi Angela, I absolutely
loved your story and as I was reading it, I could feel myself
floating into your favourite place. Congratulations on having
this published, Love Susan x"
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