Tiny Druid, massive landscape

(Nimue)

In this photo I’m stood on the side of Haresfield Beacon, Gloucestershire. It’s a hillfort. Keith was further up on the ramparts when he took this photo. Behind me is the edge of the Cotswolds. What you can’t see from this image is the great expanse of the Severn flood plain and beyond that, the majesty of the Malvern hills. 

Very small Druid, very large landscape.

I find this good in all kinds of ways. Human stories tend to put humans centre stage, and within that we are all prone to seeing ourselves as the most important feature of our own stories. Being in a big landscape encourages us to shift that focus and see how small we are in the grand scheme of things. The enormity of a landscape puts life into perspective. Our hopes and dreams, fears and troubles all seem small when pitched against anything so manifestly larger than ourselves.

One of the things I greatly appreciate about being out on the land, and under the open sky is this sense of smallness. It’s also an invitation to think expansively. Being a small thing in a big space invites you to think beyond your own experiences and see a story that is far bigger than your own narrative.

Here there is room for wonder and awe. It’s liberating, and good for the soul.