 |
| Edinburgh |
So feeling nostalgic, my thoughts drift back to when I went to Scotland on a mission trip a few years back. I have to say, out of all things I’ve done in my life, all the people I have seen, the places I have visited (not being a whole lot, mind you) going to Scotland was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. It was so beautiful there and—how shall I describe it? It was just so… different. The food tasted better, the stores sold all sorts of odd, interesting trinkets and objects, the air smelled cleaner, fresh, revitalizing, the people were so much prettier and handsomer--oh the accents! How melodic! The landscape had the power to turn the most monosyllabic mouth into a golden tongue poet. Your eyes could find the entrances to hidden stories everywhere you looked. History was alive in Scotland. I remember walking through an ancient monastery and placing my hand on the stone walls, hundreds and hundreds of years old, thinking of the hands which crafted these. It was almost inconceivable, the minds which dreamed up these parapets of stone seemed more like fanciful characters from a book rather than real men. I began to wonder what their lives were like, what thoughts distracted them from their labors as they erect this hall? I would love to go back there someday. Maybe on a honeymoon, would that be delightful now? We saw so many beautiful places while in Scotland, in Inverness we visited Loch Ness, unfortunately we didn’t find Nessie. We walked among graveyards where people had died from the Black Plague.How ancient everything was! Fragments of history on every corner!
 |
| Elephant House where J.K.Rowling began writing Harry Potter |
 |
| Me being blessed! |
 |
| Robert the Bruce's castle |
I sat in the seat where J.K. Rowling first started writing Harry Potter. I looked out the window and up the hill toward the Edinburgh castle in the distance… I could almost imagine Hogwarts and young little witches and wizards soaring around upon brooms. However, personally, I don’t know how she got any work done in there, it was so noisy I couldn’t imagine putting two pretty words together in such an atmosphere.
It was very chilly in Scotland though we went in May. I remember being confused because I woke up to the dawn and singing birds every morning, but the hour was only 4 a.m.! We spent one day roaming the crowded streets of Edinburgh… My friend was knighted. I was blessed… I don’t suppose ladies get to be knighted... Which was a shame because I really would have liked to have had a sword.
In Scotland, it is allowed to share Bible songs and stories with public school children. Our chorale group travelled all over singing in elementary schools, nursing homes, and, best of all, having a vacation er, holiday Bible school for the local church. There was such a great need for the Gospel to be preached in Scotland. I wish I had had more opportunity to serve, when I think back on it. I also wish I had brought my camera charger, but that is neither here nor there.
We went to Robert the Bruce's castle, where I stood on his grave (which was inside the church) and I looked at his bronzed skull, and we sang for a group of locals. Can any acoustics compare with the sacred and beautiful echoes of human voices within the silent, solemn walls of an ancient cathedral? Oh goodness, what a divine sound!
What a beautiful world! Magic was alive everywhere… an artist need not go far when wanting of inspiration. For here was the ancient land where fairytales had been born. I miss Scotland today. My world here seems rather dull and plain sometimes when I think of the natural beauty and splendor of far off lands. Oh and how scrumptiously delicious that tea was!
So feeling nostalgic, my thoughts drift back to when I went to Scotland on a mission trip a few years back. I have to say, out of all things I’ve done in my life, all the people I have seen, the places I have visited (not being a whole lot, mind you) going to Scotland was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. It was so beautiful there and—how shall I describe it? It was just so… different. The food tasted better, the stores sold all sorts of odd, interesting trinkets and objects, the air smelled cleaner, fresh, revitalizing, the people were so much prettier and handsomer--oh the accents! How melodic! The landscape had the power to turn the most monosyllabic mouth into a golden tongue poet. Your eyes could find the entrances to hidden stories everywhere you looked. History was alive in Scotland. I remember walking through an ancient monastery and placing my hand on the stone walls, hundreds and hundreds of years old, thinking of the hands which crafted these. It was almost inconceivable, the minds which dreamed up these parapets of stone seemed more like fanciful characters from a book rather than real men. I began to wonder what their lives were like, what thoughts distracted them from their labors as they erect this hall? I would love to go back there someday. Maybe on a honeymoon, would that be delightful now? We saw so many beautiful places while in Scotland, in Inverness we visited Loch Ness, unfortunately we didn’t find Nessie. We walked among graveyards where people had died from the Black Plague.How ancient everything was! Fragments of history on every corner! 
No comments:
Post a Comment