An Update from Scotland - Finding Pockets of Peace
Hello! I can't believe it's been a month since my last update. I'm going to recap my absence but with this preface: I'm a big believer that you should never have to apologize or explain your absence from the internet. Protect your peace and you do you.
That being said, I'm not sorry for going MIA on this little website for a few weeks because going MIA has been so good, but I will explain where I've been.
When we landed in Oban I actually drafted a few blogs, but our days were so filled that I never got around to editing and publishing them. I knew that when we ventured north to Dornoch I would have more downtime so I planned on posting there. Then we actually got to Dornoch and discovered our Airbnb didn't have cellular service and the wifi was strong enough to send a text message…if you stood in the corner of the kitchen and held your hand up at a very precise angle.
I decided to embrace being disconnected while we were there. Then, even after moving south to a home near St. Andrews, I found that I didn't want that feeling to end. And so, while I've poked my head back on Instagram, for the most part, I've stayed disconnected.
The past month has been filled with quiet moments and lots of morning and evening walks through the highlands, lowlands, and along the Scottish coast. I've read 14 books, baked my first loaf of sourdough, reverted back to baking cookies because I understand them better, wrote poetry, watched terrible 90s romcoms because our Airbnb had a pile of DVDs to work through, and breathed in deep, clean air.
Finding Time to Reflect
I knew when we embarked on this sabbatical it was a move against the grain. But I didn't realize how deeply American hustle/work culture was embedded in us until we were here for a few weeks. The question that defines meeting new people in the States is, "So what do you do?" Since we've been in the UK, I've had one person ask me that question and it's because we were talking about jobs and careers after we'd already been chatting for several hours. This is painting with sweeping strokes, but from my experience here, what you do is the least interesting thing about you.
Rebelling against work as an identity while also embracing deep rest is such a good experience but also a terrifying one. Who am I without my job to define me? How do I find rest when we're back to a more balanced normal instead of this extreme?
I'm going to refrain from musing further on this topic today, but I suspect you'll sense the undertone of these questions in my writings going forward. Because sure these travels are fun, but the point of all this wandering is to experience life deeply. And life is more than just an endless summer vacation. Having the time to ask these questions is a privilege that I’m not taking lightly. I’m soaking up these moments to reflect and contemplate where we are and what comes next.
There’s a quote from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty that I love,
"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life."
As we continue our travels and our wanderings, I'm holding this at the forefront of my heart. Documenting is fun and I'll be posting more in the weeks to come, but in the meantime, I'm breathing in deep and experiencing all the moments this adventure has to offer. Sometimes they come in loud and obvious explorations, but often, I’m finding myself most refreshed and mentally challenged by the small and quiet pockets of peace.