Ugly? No, village life is glorious
I’VE been gently rebuked by reader Valerie H in Devon, and I deserve it! Two weeks ago, celebrating ten years in our beloved home, next to my son and his wife, I wrote that we live in ‘a rather ugly little village towards Bristol’ — and Valerie objects.
She lived here for a long time 25 years ago and reminded me of the best aspects, like the pretty part around St Mary’s Church. Obviously, the whole area is more built-up now — but her email is a reminder that beauty means different things to different people. Instead of ‘ugly’, I should have written ‘plain’.
Yes, I wanted to make it clear we don’t live in a chocolate-box spot. Honestly, if this village were on a dating website, you might well swipe it away!
Yet — as with new people — affection develops with familiarity. We have a film club (‘Flicks in the Sticks’ — cheap wine and such fun!) once a month, run by the Residents’ Association. There’s a Gardening Club, the WI, events such as jazz in the church and soon there’s the first meeting of a new nature club.
When the village shop was robbed, everybody rallied round. The church is warm and welcoming to all — and was my way into village life ten years ago. (You don’t have to be ‘religious’, just a human being).
With the Mail’s great antilitter campaign in mind, I’m proud our village organises litter-picking. And in the spring volunteers stand in our chilly lane in the darkness to rescue the little frogs from their suicidal bid to cross the road.
Does all that sound a bit country-bumpkin to you city folk? What matters here are good neighbours and a sense of community — precious things which can be found in most places — if you step outside your door and look.
Not always (of course) but more often than you’d think. Country, suburb or city . . . a location — like a person — can be very ordinary-looking and yet full of goodness and warmth. And earn your love.
Bel answers readers’ questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, london W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co. uk. Names are changed to protect identities. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence.