About
Hello, I’m Lara.
Honestly, I never thought I had anything to offer the world – four decades drenched in debilitating low levels of self-esteem, loneliness, of feeling misunderstood, anxiety of note and bouts of depression.
But also, four decades peppered with developing coping mechanisms, becoming resilient, with realisations and revelations, with so much learning (from others and from soooo many mistakes).
However. Silenced by fear of not being heard or valued (read, fear of rejection), I have pretty much kept my thoughts and processes internalised.
In the more recent seasons of life however, I have learnt that I have a voice, and to think that perhaps I should start using it. And I have learnt that as much as I can and have learnt from other people’s lives and experiences, maybe others may benefit from mine. My aim here is to share some of my journey (through the blog on this site), which I hope may touch some tender places in the hearts of other people. Also. I’m still learning, and would be honoured if you would come on this journey with me!
Also. I am married to my best friend, Eugene. We have 3 beautiful kiddies – 2 boys and a girl (18, 16 and 11 years old), all of whom we have home schooled from the beginning. We have 3 dogs, a cat, a cockatiel, a bunny and some chickens, and live in the beautiful village of Riebeek West in the Western Cape of South Africa.
I was however born and bred in the New Forest in the south of England – and it definitely remains true of me that, ‘You can take the Brit out of England, but you’ll never be able to take England out of the Brit.’
I grew up loving music of all sorts… in fact, it was in many ways an escape for me. It is still a huge part of our lives as a family. It is rare that our house is without music – be it classical, jazz, whatever the kids are listening to… hence the name ‘Lara’s Theme’, which is a beautiful piece of classical music composed for the 1965 film edition of Dr Zhivago.
I also really enjoy art, and secretly think I missed the boat by not studying it from the beginning (I am a trained nurse, would you believe?). Eugene is an architect, and together we appreciate art so much, both its history and its expression. While I have curated a few exhibitions over the years, it has taken me until more recent years to actually express myself artistically. Hence, the pressed flowers.
I also love my friends (that includes my family), and meeting new people. I love books (I have a penchant for children’s books) – the smell of books is everything. I love trees and flowers, and breathing in deeply. I love the written word (and words written beautifully) – I believe with my whole heart that words have power, and that used well they can alter the trajectory of a person’s life and the course of humanity.
Most importantly, I love the life I have. I believe I am created by God, and I love the fact that he sent Jesus to save us from ourselves. I believe I am saved by grace, and it has taken me years and years to be able to say confidently that because of Him, I know that I am loved.
About
Hello, I’m Lara.
Honestly, I never thought I had anything to offer the world – four decades drenched in debilitating low levels of self-esteem, loneliness, of feeling misunderstood, anxiety of note and bouts of depression.
But also, four decades peppered with developing coping mechanisms, becoming resilient, with realisations and revelations, with so much learning (from others and from soooo many mistakes).
However. Silenced by fear of not being heard or valued (read, fear of rejection), I have pretty much kept my thoughts and processes internalised.
In the more recent seasons of life however, I have learnt that I have a voice, and to think that perhaps I should start using it. And I have learnt that as much as I can and have learnt from other people’s lives and experiences, maybe others may benefit from mine. My aim here is to share some of my journey (through the blog on this site), which I hope may touch some tender places in the hearts of other people. Also. I’m still learning, and would be honoured if you would come on this journey with me!
Also. I am married to my best friend, Eugene. We have 3 beautiful kiddies – 2 boys and a girl (18, 16 and 11 years old), all of whom we have home schooled from the beginning. We have 3 dogs, a cat, a cockatiel, a bunny and some chickens, and live in the beautiful village of Riebeek West in the Western Cape of South Africa.
I was however born and bred in the New Forest in the south of England – and it definitely remains true of me that, ‘You can take the Brit out of England, but you’ll never be able to take England out of the Brit.’
I grew up loving music of all sorts… in fact, it was in many ways an escape for me. It is still a huge part of our lives as a family. It is rare that our house is without music – be it classical, jazz, whatever the kids are listening to… hence the name ‘Lara’s Theme’, which is a beautiful piece of classical music composed for the 1965 film edition of Dr Zhivago.
I also really enjoy art, and secretly think I missed the boat by not studying it from the beginning (I am a trained nurse, would you believe?). Eugene is an architect, and together we appreciate art so much, both its history and its expression. While I have curated a few exhibitions over the years, it has taken me until more recent years to actually express myself artistically. Hence, the pressed flowers.
I also love my friends (that includes my family), and meeting new people. I love books (I have a penchant for children’s books) – the smell of books is everything. I love trees and flowers, and breathing in deeply. I love the written word (and words written beautifully) – I believe with my whole heart that words have power, and that used well they can alter the trajectory of a person’s life and the course of humanity.
Most importantly, I love the life I have. I believe I am created by God, and I love the fact that he sent Jesus to save us from ourselves. I believe I am saved by grace, and it has taken me years and years to be able to say confidently that because of Him, I know that I am loved.