... to See Life Differently

"The Eyes Have It" Wall in New Plymouth

 Going somewhere new and seeing different things always excites and inspires me. We are just home from a few days away in New Plymouth and Taranaki. It's not an area of New Zealand that we know so we explored some different highways and byways, checking out the surf beaches and the gardens of national significance as well as the attractions of New Plymouth city itself.
  It's a beautiful time of year to go exploring - the fields are very green and the trees are bursting with spring blossoms - cherry trees, azaleas and rhododendrons all in bloom.
  Travelling around Taranaki though made me feel quite sad as we passed through little towns with derelict buildings and boarded-up shops and no one around. It seems that when the dairy factories (the main employers) closed, the heart was ripped out of the towns and they have not recovered.
  It certainly made me return home and see my familiar surroundings with different eyes. Our country town is still bustling, although times are tough economically. And I appreciated our home and garden more too. 
  Those few days away have made me thankful for what we have and where we live. Sometimes you need to leave somewhere to 'find' it again.