This Samhain I went to visit a place that I hadn’t seen in quite a long time, even if I come in the area at least once a month. I come from the Dutch town of Helmond, and one of its most beloved spots is the Warande, an old forest and park. At the center of the Warande is the Grave Island, which is literally a small artificial island containing several graves of the Wesselman family

The Warande used to be a hunting area in the late Middle Ages, that became property of the Wesselman family in the late 18th century. The Grave Island itself probably stems from the early 19th century, as the earliest buried person is Anna Plancker, wife of the last Lord of Helmond, who died on 25 April 1817. The latest known grave stems from 1955. By that time the Warande was already gifted to the town of Helmond by the Wesselman family, followed in 1977 by the Island.

For decennia it seems to be have been a sort of sport amongst young people in Helmond to get on the Island (which was of course not permitted). There used to be a sandpath through the water to the isle, only barred by a large iron gate (which still exists), and it was all too easy to get around this gate. The path has since been removed, but I bet there are resourceful people who still manage to get on the Island now and then.

Needless, to say I have been on the Island myself once or twice (when I lived in Helmond, the pathway was still there). I can remember it being in the dead of night, me and my friends had brought some beer and wine and we walked among the graves, telling ghost stories. It’s one of those moment that one carries with them for a lifetime.

The Grave Island is not just a cool historical place to me. It, together with the whole Warande area, is an important place to me. My roots are there, I grew up in a neighborhood right next to it, and spent many an afternoon (and later, sometimes, night) there with family, friends, or alone. I know it’s history, I know the paths, the flora and fauna…and even though I haven’t lived there for some ten years, it still whispers to me.

So finally, this Halloween day, I decided to visit the Warande and Grave Island, just before visiting my grandmother who still lives in Helmond. It was a homecoming, a walk of memories, and I was also glad to see that the place is not forgotten but still very much alive. Geographically it may be at the edge of town, but I am sure I’m not the only one for whom it holds a special place in their heart – seeing small chidren playing, people walking their dog or just sitting on a bench enjoying the mild autumn weather.

Knowing a place like this so well, being able to tie it to important moments in my life and even connect it to people I know, the Warande for me is a true place of power. I hope everyone has places like this, where they feel truly connected, truly at home. And if you don’t have a place like this, then go outside if you can. Find the places where you went as a child, or maybe even now, where you feel at ease and grounded. Maybe you are lucky and your own backyard, or even your balcony, can be such a place (I know my current garden certainly counts as one). Say hello to a tree or stone, even though it may feel a bit silly at first. But if you make a small start, you can build a relationship with personal places of power that may last a lifetime – and, who knows, even into death.