In May 2019 as I sat in the Panorama restaurant in St George South on a typically idyllic, light and heat infused afternoon in Corfu, I suddenly thought – If the Durrell family were here now, rather than in the 1930’s, what would they be doing, how would they live?
The character of Penny came into my mind. She was the stone dropped into the pond that created the ripple in the lives of those she would meet.
I have no idea if other writers work in the same way, but as soon as the seed of an idea was there, certain scenes immediately began to play like a film reel in my head. I had visions of Penny and Dimitris on a boat sailing to Corfu, the tour reps welcome meeting and Penny’s first experience of Corfu Town.
A scene by the harbour, with Penny – who’s a book illustrator – painting, with Tess’s young son Theo, though is one that I’d like to look more closely at.
The small harbour for me is the real heart of St George and can be seen from the “Athena” restaurant, the hub of life, love and action in the book. Penny and Theo have both lost their fathers.
Having lost my own dad when he was only in his 60’s and subsequently worked for a time in a hospice, there were issues and experiences around grief and grieving I wanted to explore.
Whilst grieving can follow familiar and similar phases and timelines, it’s an individual and sometimes solitary experience. Reading about or sharing, experiencing what others are going through can help the healing. As Penny experiences here.
“A wave of compassion and tenderness towards him almost overwhelmed Penny as she watched. To lose a father at just four years old was beyond her comprehension. All the years of paternal love she had received felt more miraculous than ever. Gratitude blocked out her grief as its healing warmth embraced her.”
Theo also shares with her that sometimes he can’t remember his father’s face when he thinks of him and this worries him.
Tess, Theo’s mother is moving through her grief for lost husband Georgios and I wanted to weave together the experiences of them all – the universality of loss. Whether a friend, parent or partner. Often loss is a taboo – I’ve known people avoid those who’ve had a recent bereavement rather than have to chat, or because they’re worried they’ll say the wrong thing.
As Penny and Theo paint, the activity draws people to them. Although in a new place, travelling alone Penny is in her element when she paints and this connection with something familiar and comforting, relaxes her.
She connects with the sea, the heat, the feel of her bare feet on the stone harbour pathway and the cool when she dangles her feet in the sea.
The subtext here is the way life carries on – sensations, the daily course of the sun, new friendships and the desire to embrace all these things – coupled with the fear of letting the grief go, because it feels as though that’s all you have left of a loved one.
St George South harbour is also the place where I always go to in my mind when I need to find peace, sanctuary.
Even more reason then, in these times, to share grief and talk about it more – whether through the pages of a book or with a friend or colleague. As someone once said ”we read to know we are not alone.
https://www.thebookseller.com/news/harper-inspire-publish-hewitts-looking-durrells-1259141
