My relationship with Scotland
Intense events + experiences can foster connections flowing with many meanings and memories that shape who we are. My history with Scotland is thus worthy of being deemed a relationship as it continues to fill me with immense ambition + drive, instil me with an evolving sense of purpose + belonging, and thrill me with glimpses of how it feels to be TRULY ALIVE with all your might + energy.
Let’s trace this history to further illustrate how Scotland continues to impact the person I am becoming.
Political Participation
Attending the MakePovertyHistory march in Edinburgh during my teenage years engrossed me in the sheer power of political protest, whilst getting lost in its streets inspired me with captivating vistas overlooking the luscious landscapes of the Scottish capital. Not long after I took all this further by marketing theatre plays participating in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to support the campaign to End Child Poverty. During my free time I cultivated my love for travel, outdoors + viewpoints with a trip that later earned me an award for ‘Most Miles Walked’ from my campaign group.
Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Gold Award
These youth and voluntary work activities were just some of countless I engaged with throughout my childhood and youth, and the culmination of this may well be the DofE Gold Award I earned. Wandering the gardens of Holyrood Palace and conjuring a conversation with the Duke of Edinburgh himself at his last Awards Ceremony as Patron was an honour and great fun! Donning a kilt at the same time made the experience all the more special and fitting to my cavorting character!
A world beyond my Hometown
All these experiences only fuelled the fascination I had with the world beyond my hometown. It was one thing learning about people + places as a teen, but to have a whirlwind sample somewhere special gave me somewhere to strive towards through all the struggles I had to survive. I had a potent, enriching incentive brimming with huge potential + promise just beckoning, and taking that next step was something I deserved.
New Beginnings
This step involved arriving at my avenue of academia, which I still continue to explore and will probably never stop doing so! Whilst getting settled I stumbled upon the British Red Cross (BRC), and thus began my journey with them into the world of Event First Aid and Humanitarian Response. Although no longer involved with BRC, the experiences I had continue to bear fruit + flourish in the person I am today. They provided the bedrock for my entry into healthcare, and connected me with amazing people, some of whom I still remain in touch with to this day (like my brother ninJA, seen in the shot below).
Northern Adventure
Yet my ventures in Scotland are far from rosy + idyllic. I never finished the specific degree I started for various reasons, and since then I’ve had further non-starter episodes. The most prominent example was my Northern Adventure where I set out to complete the North Coast 500 by motorbike. Before I even began I fell off my bike on a winding country lane that took me close to death. The picture below is the last shot I snapped before the slip. I intend to write a separate article about this trip at some point but needless to say I was rattled for a while thereafter.
Summary
It rattled me so much I did not return for a while, whereas once upon a time I was an annual visitor. But now I am ready to delve into the fear + trauma and overcome it. Scotland raised the curtains for me on all that can captivate you about the world. It enabled me to dream global.
But with time it has also become emblematic of the unrealised potential I foster. It is rough, raw, and rugged, with greater challenges and extremes than the rest of the Britain I have sampled. Yet with these risks come rewards, as there is so much beauty + wilderness that remains untapped + unheralded. So much more I want to know.
The key lies in being prepared to be stirred in unpredictable ways, then to learn from it and move forward, instead of beating yourself up over the lost opportunity. To embrace your visions + worth whilst accepting mistakes are merely lessons and not internal flaws. Maybe that’s what largely stopped me from making progress towards my potential.
Defiant mood
Living the Lakes, the big trip I took in before heading off for East Scotland, challenged my resilience and left an aftertaste of regret. Yet taking into account my history with Scotland, and my determination to enact lessons from Living the Lakes, I was in a defiant mood to persevere through any hurdles I may encounter. I had a good feeling about the trip in general, so was going to ride this wave of optimism.
It didn’t take long for my defiance to be tested! Not long after setting off, the person I was due to meet and stay the night with bailed on me disappointingly. Yet I adapted quickly by making alternative arrangements, and the adventure thus continued. I was hungry for this. It was written. I needed this to happen, and time continues to reveal why.
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