Leaving Scotland, almost a year ago to the day, was not a hard decision, as much as we had loved it there. All the drama, all the human suffering and pain, all the blood spilled on Scottish soil down the ages lends layers and depth, a patina of sorrow beneath the rugged beauty of the country. As the recession bit deeper into the UK and health issues dogged us, we realized that to prosper once again we would need to leave our comfort zone in this beautiful, poignant place and keep searching for our home.
We’ve been travellers, gypsies if you will, for a year now. No roots yet but slowly making our way back to the twenty first century. Over the way, health has improved and hope has taken the place of despair and soon perhaps, home won’t be a dream anymore but a reality. Along the way, markers hidden in the tangled undergrowth revealed themselves; old friends reaching out to comfort and delight. Along the way I have gleaned some awareness I can truly treasure.
In Gift From the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindberg reminds us “…survival periods enforce a form of simplicity on man. The monk and the nun chose it of their own free will. But if one accidentally finds it…one finds also the serenity it brings.”
The images I’m sharing here are of places in Tanzania and Zambia. All countries have beauty – sometimes hidden, sometimes not – but Africa has so much.