![\"gate-j\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drewfrederic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/gate-j.jpg?resize=750%2C475&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nI snapped out of it, made my left, and I checked into my room. I was anxiously saying ‘yes’ to the hostess on everything. My mind was on that ‘Gate.’ I ran upstairs to my room, dropped all my luggage and gear, grabbed my camera and walked right over to ‘The Gate’. I touched, smelled, looked it all over, stood in silence, then I let my mind talk to me.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"gate-c\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drewfrederic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/gate-c.jpg?resize=750%2C1171&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhy? Why does this ‘Gate’ hold a tight grip on my soul? Each day I visited, I sat and wondered ‘Why’? Why am I being drawn here each day? Is there a purpose that my first place to stay in Wales was cancelled and I found ‘The Old Barn?’ I think we can find a reason why any thing happens in our lives. It’s purpose. What ever forces were at work that day, I was drawn here to Penmark and to ‘The Gate.’ ‘The Gate’ serves a purpose to the town. It protects the Church Yard and the Grave Yard. The Church and Graves are surrounded by a stone wall and ‘The Gate’ lets them enter the sacred space at their will. ‘The Gate’ is always open, unlocked at all times to allow all to worship, give thanks, and talk to the resting. Allows them an entrance to have peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘The Gate’ opens and it closes for people almost like ‘The Gate’ in my mind. My mind was open at one point in life, completely open. As life moved on and trauma entered into my life, I learned to create a lock. A \u2018locked gate’. Locked as to not let danger enter. It kept harm away, it kept me safe, it kept me isolated… I only opened it when I felt sure no harm would take place and this was not often. This ‘Gate’ was strong and doing exactly what I had set it up to do, protect me!<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"gate-b\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drewfrederic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/gate-b.jpg?resize=750%2C500&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nI could not have created a better ‘Gate.’ Unfortunately for years it kept me away from a peace of mind and from joy. It was always closed. No one else had the power to open, it was always my ‘will’. It was a ‘one way gate.’ I learned later in life it was the strongest and saddest of all ‘Gates’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So why was I drawn? Was it to learn that a ‘Gate’ swings both ways. That a \u2018Gate\u2019 allows others to enter freely and allows them the joy of what is inside. That creating and keeping a ‘Gate’ closed serves no purpose other than to create isolation and the withering away of one\u2019s soul. My lesson? A locked \u2018Gate\u2019 prevents others from the joy of knowing who one truly is and all the gifts they have been granted to share with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We all have simple, unexpected lessons given to us in life. All we have to do is open our eye. I am not talking about what we see with, I am talking about the one true eye, our soul. All we have to do is be open to them. Nice lesson eh?! Only took a few decades and an unexpected change of travel plans to one of my ancestral homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cheers,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drew Frederic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"