Soul Stirrings
Loch Loyne, Scotland
The first few days in Scotland were spent exploring Edinburgh, which I thoroughly enjoyed despite not being much of a city person. But it will likely not be surprising to anyone that the part of the trip I was most looking forward to was the Highlands and Isle of Skye.
This particular day started out with some rays of early morning sunshine but then the clouds and rain rolled in, and the wind picked up as the day went on. The moody weather seemed suited to the Highlands though, and did nothing to dampen my sense of anticipation as the cities and towns faded into the distance. As the scenery became more rugged and remote my eyes eagerly drank in the views of mountains, rivers, and lochs, and I felt a stirring in my soul at the sight of these beautiful wild places.
Upon reaching a place to stop and get out of the car, that stirring grew stronger. I could feel the damp and the chill in the air as I picked my way over the rocky ground and when I stood still to take in the view pictured here, and to really feel this place, all I could think was "yes! this! This is why I came to Scotland."
That feeling came on with full force later that day, when I was attempting to photograph the Eas A'Bhradain waterfall in the wind and pouring rain. That photographic effort was quickly abandoned, but I couldn't bring myself to get back in the car right away. (My daughter, being the smarter of us, stayed where it was warm and dry 😄)
Me, I just wanted to remain there with the wild water and the wild weather, with the rain drenching my hair and the wind whipping my face, because somehow I felt like I was part of that wildness, and in that, felt the exhilaration of being fully and absolutely alive.
Note: For those who might want to see what the falls looked like, this is the one photo I hastily took there:
Soul Stirrings
Loch Loyne, Scotland
The first few days in Scotland were spent exploring Edinburgh, which I thoroughly enjoyed despite not being much of a city person. But it will likely not be surprising to anyone that the part of the trip I was most looking forward to was the Highlands and Isle of Skye.
This particular day started out with some rays of early morning sunshine but then the clouds and rain rolled in, and the wind picked up as the day went on. The moody weather seemed suited to the Highlands though, and did nothing to dampen my sense of anticipation as the cities and towns faded into the distance. As the scenery became more rugged and remote my eyes eagerly drank in the views of mountains, rivers, and lochs, and I felt a stirring in my soul at the sight of these beautiful wild places.
Upon reaching a place to stop and get out of the car, that stirring grew stronger. I could feel the damp and the chill in the air as I picked my way over the rocky ground and when I stood still to take in the view pictured here, and to really feel this place, all I could think was "yes! this! This is why I came to Scotland."
That feeling came on with full force later that day, when I was attempting to photograph the Eas A'Bhradain waterfall in the wind and pouring rain. That photographic effort was quickly abandoned, but I couldn't bring myself to get back in the car right away. (My daughter, being the smarter of us, stayed where it was warm and dry 😄)
Me, I just wanted to remain there with the wild water and the wild weather, with the rain drenching my hair and the wind whipping my face, because somehow I felt like I was part of that wildness, and in that, felt the exhilaration of being fully and absolutely alive.
Note: For those who might want to see what the falls looked like, this is the one photo I hastily took there: