Talia Smith

I am small in this memory, maybe around seven years old. Our house doesn’t have the large garage we built or the green wallpaper that I chose for my room, it is still how it was when we first moved in. We had an overgrown area of trees at the bottom of our property, it was like its own little world in there, always quieter and darker and colder than the outside. I remember being both afraid and intrigued by what secrets could possibly be held in the depths of the trees.

Once, after the tree house was built (that I never went in because I was too small and too scared to climb the tree), I sat amongst the trees and grass alone, this was rare for me to be alone in there but that day the solitude was okay. I didn’t think about too much just enjoyed the quiet moment, my Mum called out to me and I left the surrounds forgetting almost instantly about the peaceful moment I had.

We ripped down all the trees and the bush and suddenly we were exposed to the street, those quiet moments sitting amongst nature and enjoying silence and solitude were gone around the exact time that I started to grow older and to not care for such things. But now, as time goes on I crave those two things and wish that I could return to that little area at the bottom of our property, just to sit and listen and think.