A few weeks ago I got the middle finger of my right hand onto the grinding wheel of the pedestal grinder. I was busy grinding spring steel pins on the side of the wheel for a crimping roller I was making. The next moment the pin slipped over the edge and my finger followed. Now I must confess that my immediate steps after the accident were quite extraordinary taking my history into account. Usually, whenever I get hurt badly in the workshop, the first thing I do is to carefully take off my glasses and put it somewhere safe. I have a tendency to faint. This time around I quickly switched off the grinder and went to the cupboard where we keep plasters for emergencies in the workshop. At that stage I acted quite calmly because I realised I had to stop the bleeding. Blood was by now dripping onto the ground. It helped to a degree but I knew I had to get to the house where my dad could help me to first clean the finger somehow, determine the damage and cover it properly. ...
The Restory is a Retreat Centre nestled against Tafelkop, a singular mountain head near Wakkerstroom, South Africa. Here we live a simple life as contemplatives. It is a place of re-connection: with ourselves, people, Nature, Silence and Creativity. Our retreats are aimed at this. Our conversations, writing and art centre around the univocity of life. We need a place that reminds us that we are all one. The Restory hopes to be such a place and space.