Lavender-Scented Fate…

The Strong Role Played by Fate in Lavender Days …

There’s no doubt that Lavender Days is also about fate. The 1500-word article I wrote about my negative experiences of meeting a partner through dating agencies in England had been intended as a wry look at a rather sad scene. Once the London-based SHE magazine had accepted the article, they delayed publishing it by two or three months. Which is where fate stepped in, because had they run it immediately, or delayed publication by even a month more, a certain American lady holidaying with her young daughter in the South of France that summer wouldn’t have chanced on it in a Provence newsagent while looking for something to read in English. And had she not, at the same time, been actively advertising in local newspapers for a French partner to bond with in that enchanting part of the world, she might not have been so drawn to read about my own fruitless efforts on the bumpy road to love. Nor would she have been likely, as an extension of what she was already doing, to have written to me via SHE’s editorial office, and had they not, in turn, forwarded her handwritten letter on to me there would have been no book for me to write in the here and now twenty years later. Which I wouldn’t have done anyway had I not also happened to be rummaging recently in the semi-darkness of my loft and been fated to find, like a capsule frozen in time, the heart-stirring, still lavender-scented, memorabilia of those days which caused me to re-read the long-forgotten diary I had kept of events at the time.

SHE Magazine

But my writing that article for SHE in the first place, and its chain reaction, impacted on the fate of ‘Kathryn’ too. Having invited me to visit them in France as a sort of experimental first date, with absolutely nothing promised, and an embarrassing mismatch the most likely outcome, the situation that grew from that visit caused her to look more searchingly into her own dreams and wishes and balance them against the hard realities that needed to be taken account of when (as she called it) ‘corticalising’ the best way forward.

Fate and Surprises

The rest is history – or is it? While inevitably blending fictional elements into the story, as writers tend to do, Lavender Days is in essence entirely true, down to the extremely personal, private moments that so embarrass ‘Gabriel’ on reading of their activities two decades on. This isn’t ‘Hearts and Flowers’ played on a violin, but stark life; and life, like fate, enjoys putting in a few surprises. Those who have read this little book want to know if there’s a sequel, since its dynamic is so positive and uplifting. Let me know when you’re ready for it …

Meanwhile weep not for that which is lost, for fate is a gamester and might just have the hugest and happiest smile in the world up its mischievous sleeve.

How has fate played a role in YOUR life? I’d love to hear of your brushes with fate below …

 

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Read EXTRACTS from Robin Squire’s books

 

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