The Restory Retreat Centre

Der Bücherwurm Painting by Carl Spitzweg “If you cannot read all your books, at any rate handle, or as it were, fondle them - peer into them, let them fall open where they will, read from the first sentence that arrests the eye, set them back on the shelves with your own hands, arrange them on your own plan so that you at least know where they are. Let them be your friends; let them, at any rate, be your acquaintances.”                                                                       Winston Churchill Yes, I know. On average it is cheaper and some even free, when you order over the internet you have it almost immediately, the search facility is very handy as well as links to the internet, darkness isn’t a problem as it comes with a built-in light, the carbon footprint is small, it is so compact that physical space is not an issue and all indications are that it is the way of the future. I know. But somehow I am unable to develop a liking for eBooks. It is as if th

Barrowfield night sky Photograph by Frans Marais On settling here at Barrowfield, there were quite a few boxes that were on our initial wish list that we could mark off: silence –check; nature –check; workshops – check; beauty – check; gardening – check; definite change of seasons - check. These were all elements that we regarded as important when we started searching for a place to establish The Restory. Often based more on instinct than knowledge, we knew these things to be important factors in helping people to get in touch with God, themselves and life in general. Nothing mind-blowing or extreme. Actually very simple, but also very basic to being human living on this earth. In the years preceding our eventual scouting and exploring I often talked to Matilda about another element on the wish list as well – darkness. I often said to her: “Wouldn’t it be nice to live somewhere that is absolutely dark when you switch off your light at night.” Once, on travelling at night fro

Fotograaf: Hanna Jacobs As deel van ons huwelikseremonie op die 6de Desember, het ons die volgende liefdesverklarings aan mekaar voorgelees: Matilda: My George Dat dit ek is wat op 'n dag verdwaal het - so het ek gedink- en voor 'n deur beland het wat net so effens oopgestaan het. Dat ek met die oopstoot daarvan myself bevind het in die kamers van jou siel. Daar waar kosbaarhede oor baie jare versamel is, bewaar is, waardeer is. Dat dit ek is wat kon blaai deur jou woorde; kon warmte vind onder die klank van jou stem; kon drink van jou wysheid. Dat dit ek is wat kon tuiskom in jou liefde. En vandag, waar ons hier staan met ons voete op die grond van hierdie nuwe, ou-ou plek wil ek dit alles vir jou wees: veiligheid, inspirasie, warmte, wysheid, liefde. As jou lewensmaat en anam cara wil ek nou saam met jou uitloop- ons siele wyd-oop na die lewe en die wêreld; wil ek saam met jou tot seën wees vir hierdie aarde. My George, ek het jo

On the 19th of November, we have been on Barrowfield for a year. It has been a year of settling in, preparing facilities for The Restory and the retreats we envisage and coping with the unexpected like taking care of relatives. At the moment we are in the final stages of getting everything in place for our upcoming marriage on the 6th of December. It seems as if we tend to end our years by working through to-do-lists. Sometimes we look at all that still has to be done and become despondent in the face of all the challenges. A sure antidote is to then consider what has been achieved, how good it is to live here in this beautiful part of our country and to share what we have with so many people. For all the interest and support, thank you. All this is an immense help in the part that is taking a little longer. George