I arrived home late yesterday night from a 14 day journey throughout England, Wales and Scotland, that also included the real-life, fairy-tale wedding, in an old English castle, of our son and our daughter-in-law. Someone recently told me that we overuse the word “epic” in today’s society, and I agree. However, the physical, emotional and spiritual adventure that I just experienced deserves the adjective “epic”, and maybe something even more.
My courageous, ambitious husband insisted that we rent a car for our journey, which, other than for the wedding, we traveled mostly on a total whim, which ended up with us staying in nine different establishments throughout the United Kingdom, while my husband drove (on the “wrong” side of the road) precariously through almost 1400 miles of teeny one lane roads, meant to be shared by everyone, including cars headed in both directions, bicyclists and even an occasional cow or sheep.
Having already fully experienced London a couple of years ago, we headed right out to the Cotswolds from Heathrow (yes, the Cotswolds are every bit as charming and lovely as you imagine it). We explored Oxford University, met up with family in Bath and toured the ancient Roman baths and then we luxiariated in the modernized version of the baths, at our hotel. Next, we headed to the wedding, which turned into everything my daughter-in-law, and her very English mother, had conjured up in their most wild of imaginations, since our daughter-in-law was a little girl, ending up as a beautiful, magical, almost unreal occasion, finalized with a stunning surprise fireworks display. Coming off from the high of the wedding, my husband and I did the most intriguing part of the journey for me – we explored Wales, from bottom to top. I recently found out that the largest percentage of my DNA is actually Welsh, and so my interest was selfishly heightened. I adored Wales (and their Welsh cakes). My husband kept saying “this place is just so untouched.” We drove from one adorable, hobbit like village to another – one cuter than the next. There were flowers everywhere, nestled among the most captivating little archaic homes and cottages. I felt like we happened upon a “best kept secret”, mystical little countryside, almost as if we had walked through the wardrobe, into Narnia. One night, in a small town on the coast of Wales, we ended up in a pub, where a woman just a year older than me was celebrating her birthday. She and I bonded, I suppose because of our similar ages and sensibilities (or perhaps lack thereof), and when I told her about my Welsh heritage, the entire establishment sang a beautiful ballad in Welsh (which brought me to tears), because I told her that I wanted to hear Welsh spoken (Welsh sung is even better). What I love about the pubs in the United Kingdom, is that every age is represented. There are older men in three piece suits and caps, dancing with their wives, right along side the young lads and ladies, and they all bond together, singing their ancient songs of their ancient lands, full of pride and community and onenness. From Wales, we capped off our trip, driving into the deep wilds of Scotland. Starting in the stately Ediburgh, and then ending up deep into the rugged Scottish Highlands, we hiked among herds of peaceful, curious sheep, feeling lost in time and in the melding of our own innate nature, with the awestriking, formidable, beautiful, timeless nature all around us, panoramically, for as far as the eyes can see. We spent our final night in Glasgow which is a fun, irreverent, artsy, university town. On the last night, my husband and I both sat, hand-in-hand, in our shared joy, truly satiated by having our curiosities fed and satisfied by wonders of every kind, which beat both of our expectations, in spades.
I could bore you with an intricate slide show, and details that are probably only important to me, but I won’t. That being said, I know that anyone having an adventure in the United Kingdom will find something to love, and something that breaks them open to the profound wonder in their hearts, in the deepest, most personal way possible. Trust me on this. Go. Make the United Kingdom, a “Bucket List Must.” My only real disappointment in our trip, is that the Scottish Highland cows aren’t nearly as prolific as the plethora of schlock in the souvenier shops would lead you to believe. We really had to go searching for particular farms to see these “heilan coos” in person, but it was worth it. Yes, they are adorable!
Truthfully, though, the epic road trip was just a divine sideshow. The real major happening in my heart, is that another child of mine, committed themselves fully and publicly, to the love of his life. And I’m not worried about these precious babies of mine. Having been high school sweethearts, attending college together, going through medical school (him) and physician assistant school (her) in the worldly, wild city of Miami, and supporting and loving each other through all ten years of these intense growing up years of their lives, I want to believe that the rest of it all is going to be (welsh)cake for them, from here on out. Of course, I want this. All of us parents want life to be wonderful, easy and happy for our children. And a lot of the time it is. And also, a lot of the time it isn’t. But what truly feeds my heart with gratefulness, is that another one of my children has found someone who loves him as deeply as I love him. My son has found a person who wants only the best for him, and wants to share in that with him for the rest of their lives. As a parent, the relief and the joy and the gratitude and the pride that you feel when your child has partnered up with a soul as kind, and as solid, and as devoted as they are, is almost overwhelming. Life is better shared. I am lucky enough to know this personally. And this year, two of my children have headed further down the paths of their own lives, hand in hand, with their true, devoted loves. And all I have to say is about this is thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. In my life, this is what is truly epic.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.