Gathering Rosebuds in Kerala: A Memoir About Storing Life’s Special Moments
Part colourful travelogue, part heart-warming memoir, Gathering Rosebuds in Kerala, is a journey through bustling cities, backwater canals, and the stunning beaches of South-West India, with insightful reflections on facing ageing, discovering meaning in life, and storing life’s special moments forever.
Do you fear the years of your life passing? This book, if you let it, will transform how you feel about growing older. Instead of viewing time speeding forwards faster, running out, Peter shows how an altered perspective on ageing can help see your future and past are expanding. You might just discover your own fresh perspectives on living, ageing, and even dying.
Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.
The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun,
The higher he’s a-getting;
The sooner will his Race be run,
And nearer he’s to Setting.
That Age is best, which is the first,
When Youth and Blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times, still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.
Robert Herrick, 1591-1674
This poem is in the public domain.
Let’s Go In Search of the Rosebuds of Your Life.
Herrick the poet implores us to gather them while we may, but what are these elusive blooms and why are they so vital to our existence?
I set out on a journey to celebrate my 60th birthday and discover the answer, wandering the winding, less travelled roads of Kerala in search of moments to take my breath away.
For me, a rosebud is that singular experience that stops you in your tracks. It’s the sight of a dawn breaking, the mist hanging like gossamer curtains just above the ground. It’s the blood-red sun setting over the sea, bleeding its majesty into the waves. These are the moments I wish I could freeze-frame and hold on to forever.
But it’s not just about the grandiose. Rosebuds are in the small, everyday moments. The ones that filter past the worries and stresses of daily life, reminding us that the world is so much more significant than our own small corner of it.
I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery. To seek and gather the rosebuds in your own life. Who knows what you may learn and how enriching your life may be by storing these precious moments?
So, gather ye rosebuds while ye may, too, my travelling companions.
Gathering Rosebuds - The Workbook
Have you ever thought about telling your life story but didn't know where to start? "I'm not a writer," you may say, or "Will anyone even care what I have to say?" Well, let me tell you, they will! Because your life is extraordinary and one that deserves to be shared with the world.
But where do you begin?
That's where "Gathering Rosebuds: A Practical Guide to Storing Life's Special Moments" comes in.
This workbook, inspired by the famous "Carpe diem" lines of the poem "Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may," will guide you through the process of recognising and storing those unique, memorable moments we call "rosebuds" in our lives.
No life is ordinary, and every life is a story waiting to be written. Whether you want to document your memories for your grandchild to read one day or simply want to write your memoirs or family stories, this workbook will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from beginning to end.
GET A FREE PDF OF THIS BOOK AND A BONUS COPY OF WORKSHEET PAGES! SEE BELOW
Gathering Rosebuds - The Gratitude Journal
Setting out along the less travelled paths in life, one thing became crystal clear: gratitude for life’s special moments is the key to finding joy in life. And what better way to cultivate that gratitude than by taking regular time to reflect on those moments, to document them and hold on to them forever?
That’s where this Gratitude Journal and Notebook comes in.
Each week, for 12 months, it offers you the opportunity to reflect on the special moments, or “rosebuds,” in any of the six key areas of your life. Write a few thoughts, perhaps with a brief explanation of why you’re grateful. And as you fill these pages with stories of the special moments in your life, this journal will become a storehouse of memories, a treasure trove of rosebuds to look back on whenever you wish.
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”
― Alphonse Karr, A Tour Round My Garden
Images of Kerala
Kerala is a beautiful place. I listen and hear a song that India sings still filling my mind.
India, ‘My India,’ was as magical, chaotic, mysterious, charming, and disturbing as I dreamed – and more. The song of India is a choir of colour. Nothing about the colours of India is bland – even beige there is striking. Temple garlands for sale are buttery gold, mustard, saffron, and orange. Cascades of every shade of yellow are the marigolds hanging on roadside stalls, anticipating with awe the pinnacle of their existence will be to carry a prayer and bring blessings to the gods. The swatches of the streets are saris, not the notes of red, but the crescendo of fuchsia, primrose, magenta, and burgundy so deep and velvety you could drink it in a glass. Every shade and hue of blues, purples, and greens collided in stanzas sweetly, the melody of the song echoing on every woman and girl.
From Chapter Thirty-Six - No Place Life Home
Images from author’s collection
Listen to chapter one!
The audiobook is under construction, but if you would like a sneak preview and to listen to the author read chapter one, click the player.
Praise for Gathering Rosebuds in Kerala
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Peter… has a poet's soul and a deep thinker's endless drive for connection. After reading Peter's accounts of Kerala, I can't begin to tell you how much more eager I am to fly there and explore where he's travelled. Each chapter is lush and works as a descriptive travel adventure book but also as a book about deep thoughts from someone whose job it is to celebrate the summation of the lives of others. This is a LUSCIOUS book and worth your time.
Chris Brogan - New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
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Beautifully described and in colourful detail the authors adventure in India. It's not just the scenery but the observations of the people that he encounters makes up the whole experience... inspiring and thought provoking. Well worth a read!
Stephen Peplow - verified Amazon purchase
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"Gathering Rosebuds in Kerala" is a truly wonderful and engaging book. Peter Billingham's warm and inviting writing style makes it feel like you are traveling alongside him, experiencing the sights, sounds, and people of South-West India. His thoughtful reflections on ageing, meaning, and the importance of cherishing life's special moments are truly insightful and will leave you with a new perspective on your own life.
ShipLair via Amazon reviews
