Beautiful! Gorgeous! Wish you were here...Scotland and Ireland

Scotland and Ireland are two places divided by a small section of the Celtic Sea with a respectful rivalry but a shared sense of place. I've visited countless number of hotels, castles, family estates, restaurants, tourism attractions, and unfortunately at least one medical clinic and Scottish doctor. One thing is clear that all these places share is a knowledge of themselves and a fierce pride which made me wonder "what do I know about my own place in this world?"

Both Scotland and Ireland have documented history dating back a thousand year. Castles from the 1500's still stand and host local and foreign visitors. It's possible to look upon the pages of the gospel handwritten in 561 at trinity college in Dublin or sit in the actual chair of Mary queen of scots in Edinburgh. Throughout you will meet people who know the history of these places as well as they know the names and birthdates of their own children. They will tell you the stories of these people as if they had known them personally and stories of these events as if they happened inky yesterday. Woven into their stories is a fierce pride about the history and their connection with the place and the past.

Witnessing such pride, I am disappointed with myself for not honoring my own sense of place with equal passion. For years, I have been interested in my family history and have documented names and dates dating back generations. But I have not given the same attention to the history of my home. I have lived in my hometown for more than  40 years but would be hard pressed to tell a visitor anything about its history and what I do know, I think, we as Americans tend to relate to others with a sense of apology. We seem to dismiss  the beauty of our place, the stories of our past, and the reality of our current culture as though they are something to be disregarded rather than be proud of. Having been witness to the pride of a nation, I am ashamed that I haven't honored my own place in the same way.

We arrive at a place in this world - a place where we live and a place in time.  It is up to us to spend some of our moments learning about our place, honoring our place, and sharing the story of our place with the pride that is deserved. Without shame or apology, our stories have a place in this world no different than the stories of history.

Some notable moments that I have enjoyed over the past few days:
* Walking trough the Old Library at Trinity College in Dublin. The shelves of books reach to the heavens holding words and thoughts of I thousands of people. The smell of dust and history surround you and you can't help but feel such a sense of reverence for  oops, literature, and stories.
* Sitting in the chair of the Speaker at the House of Parliament in Belfast where the peace for a nation at war was negotiated and continues to be nurtured.
* Learning about the healthcare system of another country firsthand (unfortunately) while seeking treatment for an unprecedented and unexpected allergic reaction to....something...as yet undetermined.
* Being serenaded by a particularly toothless yet determined Irish man in a small pub where Guiness and whiskey are both on tap.
* Enjoying a very different kind of serenade by a local guide who sang a beautiful version of "Forty Shades of Green".
* Shooting bow and arrow on the castle grounds where "Game of Thrones" is filmed.
* Watching the sun rise over sea and the Slieve Donard Mountains.
* Enjoying some of the quirkier aspects of art appreciation of the Lords and Ladies of Ireland - including a vignette of stuffed fighting squirrels. My assessment: Weird.
* Learning how to pour the perfect pint at Guinness university.
* Seeing both Scotland Ireland decorated in their finest for Christmas and  hearing everyone wishing a merry Christmas (no politically correct and generic
wishes of happy holidays here).
* Simply having the opportunity to be here and enjoy these moments!