Life in a Royal Park

The power of energetic resonance

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Provence: it’s rare for it to rain all day and for days on end here. Yet, here I am, sitting inside, windows steamed up, droplets sliding down the outside of the glass obscuring the view to the outside, further obscured by the low-lying clouds gathered in the valley below.  Cozied in my favorite chair with a cup of hot tea, I can’t help reminiscing about the years I spent in London and what I learned about the power of having no constraints on my imagination.

I moved to London in 2018 for my then-corporate job. Having lived in the US all my life, I was elated about the opportunity and excited to have an empty nest adventure. Moving there brought out the explorer in me: everything I saw was shiny and new, and everywhere I went, a new adventure was ready to happen.

I was energetically open to the city; in return, it was open to me. Our resonance meant that everything was possible:

• An apartment where I could walk to work on The Strand and take my dog on walks through the Royal Parks–check!

• Cocktails in the new hidden speakeasy bar–check!

• New friends to enjoy it with—check!

Even though there were many new things to get used to and I missed my friends in the US, in retrospect, my life came together with relative ease.

A Walk: St. James’s to Holland Park

One day, my husband and I walked our Labrador, Toby, through St. James’s Park and onto Green Park. I wasn’t even aware until then that all the parks were easily connected!

We crossed into Hyde Park, stopping for a snack from the park kiosk.  It was such a beautiful day, we thought, ‘Let’s just keep walking.’

Toby ran ahead of us, feeling freer and freer as the lawn gave way to woods, long meadow grasses, and many other running pups. There was so much green; we felt lost in nature despite still being in the city.

We passed the Lido and admired the people holidaying for the day in rented pedalo boats. As a rain shower passed, we huddled under a large oak tree to stay warm before continuing to Kensington Gardens.

Standing in front of the Venetian Gardens for the first time, I was awestruck. We sat on a bench in the sun and enjoyed the fountains, the flowers, and the people-watching.

It was a perfect London day, like one picked out of a rom-com; my heart never wanted it to end. Wondering whether there was yet another park to venture to, I pulled out my phone to look on Google Maps and learned that we could continue to Holland Park, the last Royal Park of the city to the West. We decided to make a go of it and agreed we’d stop to grab a picnic lunch on the way.

We paused in front of a pond, watching while a group of elderly men navigated wooden sailboats around a course with remote controls from the water’s edge, their wives handling the beverages and snacks.

Looking up, I realized we were nearing Kensington Palace, something I’d only seen on TV.  Instead of staring from the outside, we quickly entered the Diana Rose Garden in front of the palace. We didn’t know whether dogs were allowed, so we kept Toby on a tight leash, close to us, nearly hidden by our legs.

My American self was having a most remarkable day. Royal parks and palaces—places I’d never thought I would ever visit, let alone simply walk around on a random Sunday afternoon, yet there I was. I was beaming with joy from the inside out.

Continuing through Kensington Gardens and past the palace, we came to a quiet, tree-lined street at the park's edge. The silence was noticeable. ‘What’s this street?’ I asked my husband. He explained that this was the street with all the embassies. Turning to my left, I saw a tiny hut where armed guards watched as the security team raised the gates for a black Mercedes with tinted windows.

‘It’s incredible!’ I exclaimed. ‘Imagine living here. It’s so quiet, and the park so near; I’d love this!’

My husband chuckled as he explained that the only people who lived on that street lived in the embassies or one of the multimillion-pound mansions; it was unlikely that we, or anyone we knew, would ever live there.

‘Well, you never know,’ I remember saying. ‘I can always dream.’ And with that, we went through the neighboring area, picked up sandwiches at Pret a Manger and went for a picnic in Holland Park.

The Storybook Cottage

Although the day is crystal clear in my memory, I didn’t think much of it until six months later. My lease was up, and I was looking for a new apartment. The criteria remained the same: I needed to get to work easily, and Toby (and I) needed to be near the Parks to have space to walk and wander. 

It was a Monday, and I was on my way to work. I had saved multiple searches on Rightmove, a real estate app, and as I stopped for a coffee, I paused to look at the latest search results. 

Although I was looking for an apartment, deep down, I was wishing and hoping for a little house with an outside space or a quiet front street. That’s a tall order in central London, but I’d walked by many teeny-tiny Mews houses and hoped one might land in my lap. 

If you’ve ever looked for an apartment in London, you’ll know there are many nondescript options decorated in white and gray, with identical kitchens and small windows. Finding something light-filled and unique with outdoor space takes patience.

Standing at the Pret breakfast counter, I nearly spat out my coffee when I saw a listing for an adorable white cottage.  ‘Where in the world IS this?’ I wondered. I clicked through the ad and fell immediately in love with a storybook cottage at the edge of Kensington Gardens. Although it was before 8 am, I phoned the number on the ad, left a message, and sent an email.

Just after lunch, my call and email were returned.  Someone else was viewing the cottage at 3 pm. ‘Could you come in at 4 pm?’ the agent asked. I’d already moved into the house in my head, so I told her I’d come in before 3 pm. She explained that viewings were first-come, first-served, so I agreed to meet her at 4 pm, and she agreed to send me the exact address.

I cancelled my afternoon and walked from my office to St. James’s Park towards Kensington Gardens, a walk I now knew well. When I neared the location marked on the GPS, I didn’t see a cottage. I must have looked as baffled as I felt because no sooner had a woman approached me and asked if I was Janine coming to see the house

‘Great,’ she said, ‘you’re right on time, let’s go in.’ In where? I wondered. 

As we turned around, I saw the storybook cottage behind a hedge near the road at the park's edge. Unlocking the gates, we stepped into the garden, up five steps, and went inside.

I was in a dream. I was standing in the living room of a tiny house on the edge of the same street my husband and I had walked across six months before. It was as though my innermost desires had been received. I told her I’d make an offer that evening; she also expected one from those who had come through earlier. But I felt sure when I sent in the offer that we’d soon be signing a lease.

Can you guess what happened next? My offer was accepted, and…I moved in a few weeks later!

Life in the park was peaceful and intriguing. I rode my bike to work and spent hours in Kensington Gardens with my dog, where I became an active volunteer. The park was a huge source of well-being for me, as I was not used to living in such a big city, and regular time in nature provided a great relief from work stress.

I am not a famous or wealthy person–now or then. I was a working person with a reasonably good-paying corporate job and bills to pay. But my imagination knew no limits. I was energetically open to the city; in return, it was open to me. Our resonance meant that everything was possible.

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When I reflect on this story, I am reminded of other times when my energy was intentional and open, and the universe received and responded with the people, places and opportunities that helped bring my dreams to life. These are reminders to have faith and to stay the course when fear, doubt, or a low mood tries to knock me down.

I woke this morning to a lovely text from my daughter, which included two quotes she couldn’t have known would speak to me—and others I’m working with:

“From the moment you have faith in yourself, you know how to live.” – Goethe

You CAN bring your dreams to life: be specific, intentional, and, as you persist, share a directed but open, loving energy with the universe and watch as the abundance you seek makes its way to you in due course.

“Nature goes her own way, and all that to us seems an exception is really according to order.” - Goethe