Swords into Ploughshare

I took some children to visit Crookham Peace Garden today. The idea was hatched from discussions around Flodden 1513 and 500 years.

The tiny church has beautiful grounds all around it. Until 6 months ago, the grounds were waste ground with no vegetation.

Through Flodden Ecomuseum this church received funding. They hired (a rather brilliant) landscape artist whose vision really touched me today.

Walking through the garden tells a story - a journey. It has commemorative parts to remember the fallen with red slate and red plants. It has a peace and reconciliation section which is white marble chips and seats where two who have fallen out can sit and make up. It has a dead patch with broken slate to symbolise the destruction that nature cannot heal after a war, yet still the weeds can re-grow. It has a green lawn - the children's garden to represent the baby boom that comes after wars.

The blip is in the garden of responsibility - the adult garden where we reflect on our journey so far and resolve to learn from our destructive past...

Further round there is a long pond with a bridge spanning it. With 4 boys on one side and 4 girls on the other, the visionary said "If you had all fallen out, and found yourselves on two different sides, what would the possibilities be?" Without prompt or hesitation, the all looked at each other and met half way across the bridge and shook hands with each other. One said "That's what bridges are for - even if they aren't really there!"

I was aware of silence around me and found myself just as emotionally caught in that moment as every other adult around. Oblivious to our hidden tears and wobbly bottom lips, they happily leapt off the bridge and onto the seat of reflection at the exit.

Quite without doubt, a powerful and deeply meaningful afternoon that has really moved me.