I am a writer. True, that right at this minute I am not writing much. If you could see the house you would understand. I am currently moving the study and studio into the front of the building. Into what was the large living room. This means that I am creating a snug and dining room. It does mean that the 3 bedroom bungalow becomes a one bedroom. However, it also means I use all the space. And I do love to use all the space. At the moment, the dining room is filled with bookcases. They should be in the study. The living room has been dumped. Most of the furniture is there it is just not in the right order. It is all usable, except the dining room. I have space to sit down.
I did seriously think about not creating the bigger study. I thought that it was a bad idea because of the work. I am disabled and I do hate change. But at the same time I really hate not using space to it’s full potential. So, at the weekend my parents came over and we started the move, or rather, finished the big moves. I had already spent 4 days moving bookcases and books. I have a lot of books. I love books.
The Salt Path is not one I own, oddly. But I heard that they had lied in writing the book. I decided to read, well, listen to it. So while moving the boxes and books from one part of the house to another I started. It is an okay book. Not particularly well written but it is decent. It revolves around Moth and Wynn. They are made homeless because they owe money to a failed venture. They contest this and because they can’t get funding for legal aid they end up losing the farm. And yes, I meant farm. In England. Two things cropped into my head then. They risked their home by representing themselves. They almost believed they would be let off because they told the truth. There are two problems with this. Firstly, they had a farm. It is a hell of an asset. And secondly, there is always 2 sides to the story. We are not privy to the other side and a lot of the details are vague. But this is the narrators tale and she is obliged to tell it as she wants.
Then the diagnosis. Moth is given a life limiting disease, one that has no cure. He decides, with his wife, to spend as long as possible in nature. In the book she voices her concern. I mean, if you have a degenerative disease, you have to consider that you are sick now. You also have to consider that you will get worse. Worse when walking and resting and sleeping. This is where I have problems with the story. I have a chronic illness and it hurts all the time. For a while you can ignore low level pain but how was it the miraculous cure occurred? One minute Moth is dead on his feet. The next moment, he has overtaken her. He is striding forward without an issue. I don’t understand.
Nature is a huge part of my life, always has been. It can calm me and make life a little more bearable but that doesn’t make it a cure. And at the moment everything I read regarding nature is about a cure. Or how to live better. I can guarantee that living in nature can be just as shit as living in the city. It is what you make of it. But this want to create an almost mythical place… I think it is dangerous. Where is the nature writing that explains how being outside made life a little less shit. Where nature isn’t something wonderful but something normal.
Maybe that isn’t exciting enough. Although I would read it. How someone’s day was made a little more manageable because they blew dandelion seeds into the wind. The dandelion gets a break and is dispersed. The person smiles and remembers doing just that as a child. No cure, no massive wonder, just a person and a dandelion. Still nature, just a quiet nature. No Salt Path, no cure, no huge ordeal… Where is that writing?
Kate Murray - Cleaver 