Childhood and Nostalgia.
by Carmel Rowley

The writing I’ve been doing over the last few days prompted me to recall my childhood and our family holidays. At that time, overseas trips were never on the agenda though we did have a wonderful holiday house situated on the edge of a lake. The extended family would come and stay. The little house was packed with cousins, grand parents and friends as we water skied and swam all through the summer holidays.

Pearsons Point overlooking Lake Glenmaggie where I spent all my childhood holidays. Our stud  Pearsons View was named after PP because it also overlooked our property at the time.

I remember the long and tedious journey from Melbourne to our holiday house, and can recall driving past some of the most beautiful farming land one could ever wish to see. Stud farms with miles of painted white fences had me imagining owning such a place filled with elegant show horses. Every year I would gaze at paddocks filled with chestnut and bay horses of all sizes in a brief moment of longing. The properties were the highlight of my trip and I would sit forward in my seat, eyes unblinking, so not to miss a millisecond of the horses or the property.

I do recollect not enjoying the drive, being cooped up for hours in the back seat of the car was not much fun. Naturally we played eye-spy, no DVD’s back then, until my brother and I began arguing and we were told to shush. I would rest back in the seat and gaze out the window at the colours flashing by. Australia is a place of vibrant colours but I loved the way the varied colours of green blurred into an abstract combination of emerald leaves tinged with red in autumn, pea green grass and the blue-green viridian melding into cobalt blue skies.

Now when I think about those times I feel quite nostalgic. Most of the farming land is sub-divided and in place of the rolling green hills with double, white painted fences are kilometres of housing.

It is fascinating how memories evoke different feelings to different people. As a writer I think the best writing should evoke a sense of place, a sharing of feelings with readers about the created family, or the country / place you are writing about.

Perhaps the childhood memories re-connects the past to my dreams. After all Napoleon Hill said, ‘cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blue prints of your ultimate achievements.’