We had the wonderful opportunity to visit Scotland this spring with our daughters. When Gillian had finished her “exchange” semester at the University of Aberdeen; Jane, Rachel and I joined her to tour this beautiful country with its’ rich history. We spent 2 weeks “across the pond”. It was the longest vacation of my 30 years in practice! I have had the opportunity to reflect upon some lessons I learned from this great country and its’ resilient people. Perhaps these things may apply to you and your wellness as well…
When Jane asked me what I wanted to do in Scotland, I told her I wanted to see a castle. Coming from a relatively “young” country like Canada, (Happy 152!) I have not had the opportunity to see castles like you see on television and movies. I was so impressed with the different structures we saw that are still standing after 700+ years. It is amazing how well they were built! In some places the walls were 14 feet thick, which provided insulation that kept the heat in during the cold winters and yet provided a cool environment during the heat of summer. It is no wonder, with this careful construction, that they are still standing hundreds of years later. It makes me think about our own health and wellness. Do we put in the same care as the Scottish builders of old? Do we take care of our health -doing exercises to strengthen and maintain our structure so that it can last? How about our nutrition? Do we use the building blocks of clean, healthy and nutritious food so that our body can stand the test of time. We don’t need our body to last 700 years, but if we don’t put care into the building and maintenance of it, it won’t last as long as we need it!
The people of Scotland that we met were hearty and friendly. They didn’t let a little thing like weather slow them down! They get a lot of rain in Scotland, but the people continue on without seeming to notice. We climbed Arthur’s Seat while we were in Edinburgh. This is an extinct volcano that, with an 822 foot climb, gives an amazing view of the city and countryside. I was amazed at the number of people that were climbing- it was practically crowded in places. It started to rain, but no one seemed to notice or care! Here in Canada we bemoan our short summers and regret each day of rain that we receive. We need to learn to dress for the weather and continue on, no matter what the weather brings! Life is always better when we’re active!
And speaking of “dressing for it”. I do like the Scottish heritage.
A man can confidently wear a skirt (kilt) to watch football (soccer) or attend a wedding! I tried to convince Jane that I have the legs for it, but she felt it wouldn’t get a lot of wear in Canada. The Scottish people embrace their heritage and share it proudly. I have to say, we only tried the vegetarian version of their famous “Hagis”, but I do appreciate their enthusiasm.
We had a tremendous time together, exploring another culture. It made me appreciate our differences, and think about how we build- our buildings and our bodies. The weather doesn’t need to slow us down. I don’t know what this summer will be like (it is starting rather nicely) but come what may we can be active and make the most of it.
PS. If you would like to see more pictures of our trip, see our Facebook Page: Shaughnessy Wellness.