Two years ago, on the first weekend of November, Brendan,
Liam and I set out on our first road trip as a family, to the Scottish Isle of
Skye. This weekend excursion would set the tone for our entire sojourn in
Scotland, providing the opportunity to forge new friendships and solidifying in
us the desire to make the absolute most of our time abroad. We both fell
immediately in love with Scotland, and this trip, at the outset of our travels,
branded the hills in our hearts. Impossible not to love a place this beautiful:
On this second anniversary of our arrival in Scotland, I
find myself once again remembering. I’m nostalgic again, perhaps more so this
year because the infant now in my arms looks so much like his big brother did
two years ago. Dressing James in Liam’s sleepers and seeing the familiar
expressions on his little face remind me of my initiation into motherhood, set
against the backdrop of our first family adventure. I’m happy to be home, to be
settled in our new house, to be able to share my beautiful boys with family and
friends, but remembering still evokes in me a longing for what was. I think
there are several reasons for this.
Our time in Scotland launched us into family life and was
the beginning of my vocation as a mother. I think there’s always a certain
romance about the beginning of things, if they are happy things, as these were.
I had never before had the opportunity to travel abroad with
such freedom. The prospect of being able to go virtually anywhere we wanted in
the UK and on the continent was exciting to me. And I was travelling with
Brendan, whose enthusiasm is invigorating.
Stirling is beautiful and I found a home in its beauty. I’ve
noticed through the years that most Maritimers I’ve met are particularly identified
with their home – home is part of who they are, and they speak of it with
affection and reverence. They have a deep appreciation for place, which I had not experienced personally until I discovered
Stirling. I love my home, but not so much for the place as for the people – my
family and friends make this place special to me. I loved the people I met in
Stirling, but I also loved the place. It spoke to me in a way no other place
has – I never tired of looking out at Dumyat and seeing the Wallace Monument,
of admiring how differently the light painted it each day. Place has new
meaning to me now, and although I still think that having a vibrant community
can make any place livable, there is something to be said for the character of
the place itself.
Because we knew our time abroad was limited, we dedicated
ourselves to making the most of it. We were not faced with an indefinite
horizon that allowed us to get lazy about how we spent our days. We knew the
time was short, so we packed in as much as we could. Having the end in sight
inspired us not to waste any time. It’s still possible to live with that kind
of purposefulness – after all, life itself has a term, for some shorter than
for others – but when the end of a chapter is not so clearly defined, it’s hard
to keep up the motivation.
Our time away opened my eyes to the exciting possibilities
of life. If we could do this, what else could we do?! I know I can’t always be
living for the next exciting adventure, and that to be truly happy, we have to
find joy in the simple things, but going to Scotland taught me not to be afraid
to think outside the box. Many opportunities will come our way, and I don’t
want to be afraid to try something just because it’s out of the ordinary or
might require more effort to organize. I don’t want to shut out the possibility
of being surprised by the bends our path will take.
Reflecting on the things I learned from our adventures
abroad is important to me. We didn’t go to Scotland just to go to Scotland. We
went to learn and to grow, and to become a family. I’m grateful for that. And
both Brendan and I have given ourselves the challenge to continue along the
path of intentional living, so that no matter where we find ourselves as a
family, we will always seize opportunities to learn and grow.
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