How often have you looked out of the car window and been struck completely dumb??
It doesn’t happen very often, but yesterday, well, words failed me.
I drive over the Severn bridge a couple of times a week, en route for the Dome Garden. It’s a great bridge and fills me with a feeling of holiday spirit as it always means I’ve almost arrived.
I’ve been a bit mean about the Severn in the past, implying it might be a touch on the dull side – an easy comedic shot when it’s most famous attribute is the Severn Bore!. But, after yesterday, never again.
As we drove out over the bridge it hit me. A sight of such utter calm, of towering beauty and stunning serenity. It made me gasp. It was literally breathtaking. And then time itself seemed to stop. Just for a second or two but like us, everything paused, suspended in mid air.
The traffic came to a halt briefly in the middle of the bridge – lucky side effect of some bridge works for once. It was only a few seconds, but long enough to stop and stare and take it all in. Then we moved on again to be swallowed up by the busy M4.
There’s that great quote from the Great Gatsby – “and so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”.
Well, there it was, yesterday, as if F Scott Fitzgerald himself was sitting in the back seat.
Struck dumb?
Maybe.
Speechless?
Definitely!