Time doesn’t heal all wounds...

I know it is often said that time heals all wounds, but the truth is that it is not always true. There are times when wounds are so deep that no matter how long it takes, they just never heal. Or is it the case that we don’t want it to heal?

Our holiday home is on the Garden Route of South Africa, close to the town of Plettenberg Bay, which is a well-known holiday destination for many South Africans. It holds a specific beauty, with beautiful mountains on one side and the ocean with its long beaches on the other. It is an area covered in native Fynbos (a type of vegetation) and home to various wildlife sanctuaries, private game reserves, points for bird viewing, and exquisite walking trails. It also has a rich marine life, from whales giving birth to the young, dolphins playing in the waves, and seagulls stealing the bait of the fishermen.

Although we know Plettenberg Bay like the palms of our hands, there is always something new to see, and a drive around town is always on the agenda.

December 11, 2015

It was on one of these drives that I took the following photo.

Coming from Johannesburg, where all the homes are safely tucked in behind high walls and electric fencing, I just fell in love with this house tucked away in nature. No walls, no electric fence, no automated gate, and no sign of “Trespassers will be prosecuted.” It stole my heart, not for the home but for the picture of bricks and nature in harmony.

August 15, 2017

Massive fires were burning in June for weeks. These fires stretched all along the Garden Route, from the seaside town of Knysna past Plettenberg Bay, all the way to Keurboomstrand, where our holiday home is. We were on an overseas holiday, but friends kept us informed of what was happening. We were ready to jump on the first plane back to South Africa.

With our return, we dropped our suitcases, packed new ones, and left. Eager to see the damages and to start repair work.

We were not prepared for what we saw. Our first stop was in Knysna, where houses and businesses were burned to the ground.
After Knysna, we took a drive through Plettenberg Bay, and that is when I took the following photo.

My favorite home in Plett was no more. It was destroyed by nature.
As for our own home, it still stood proud!

December 30, 2017

It was with a lot of anticipation that I took the drive a couple of months later. In my mind, I had a picture of the house being restored and resting once again in the tranquility of its beautiful surroundings, with dogs playing on the green grass. Deep was my disappointment, as it was not the case.

There was no sign of any restoration to the house. All that I found was nature slowly but surely restoring itself.

24 November 2019

Two years later, there was still no sign of rebuilding the house. Nature was now the king of the castle. My perfect postcard picture was now also spoiled by the new barns built by the farmer next door.

What also got me was that on my phone it no longer shows as “Plettenberg Bay” but as “Brakkloof.”
Brak – brackish water
Kloof - a gap or a mountain pass

Even the name lost its beauty.

During this holiday, I met a lady whose friends were the owners of the house. I enquired about what was happening. Why are they not restoring the house? She answered that, in their eyes, they lost beauty forever. Restoring the house is not going to bring back what they had.

I vow never to go back again.

That brings me back to time, which doesn’t heal all wounds… Some wounds are so deep that they become part of us, and it is not easy to let go.

Maybe it is time for me to go back.

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