Sunday, September 23, 2007

Scottish Dreaming

Many years ago, when I was in my teens, I visited a psychic who told me that I would marry an Irishman or a Scotsman. She actually mentioned something about Eire and bonny Scotland, where men were men.

I couldn't understand her well, her brogue was one of the first ones I had ever heard. But I felt happy inside; she obviously thought highly of her countrymen.

And I was young...men were always men, weren't they?

I struck out, on that prophecy, with my first two marriages. The two exes were of mixed parentage, with some English thrown in, along with a little Norwegian.

They obviously didn't work out, now being exes.

But I struck gold on my third try into co-habituating with another. And he was born in Scotland, only a few months after I was born in Hamburg, Germany.

I immigrated with my family when I was five; my partner immigrated when he was twelve and a half. His memories of his birth country are much deeper than mine. He formed a link...a knowing...of his country; he remembers the nuances of Scotland.

Years ago, my first strong love was a boy of Irish heritage. He was an American, who visited me in the seaside village where I worked for the summer. He had a lilt to his voice that totally captivated me; he was dark-haired and blue-eyed. I no longer recall which County from whence his family came. I do remember he was fond of his grandparents in Ireland, whom he had visited often, over his growing up years.

I was young and Canadian. I did not understand how the draft worked, in another country. But S. was here, living on the beach, trying to decide if he should stay in Canada...and dodge the draft.

He went back to the States after the summer was over. It broke my heart, of course...here was the Irishman of the psychic's advice. Here, and then gone.

We struck up a correspondence, those being the days before email and easy long distance telephone conversations.

I received his letter telling me he had been drafted; I received one letter from him, after he went overseas to Vietnam.

And I talked with his mother, the first and only time, when she told me of his death.

I mourned...very, very deeply... for this unformed, untested love we had tried to nurture. I was so young; I did not, then, have the knowledge about grief I have now. It was not creative mourning I went through, way back when I was seventeen.

I believed, after this, that the Irishman the psychic had foretold had been and gone.

But I forgot, for awhile, that she had stated...An Irishman or a Scotsman will share your life.

Time passed. The Scotsman showed up after I turned 50...I waited more than half a century for the psychic's prediction to come true.

And yet, during the years I lived alone, I would have a recurring dream. One where I sat on a Mountain top, knowing I had just climbed a long way. Or sometimes, I would still be climbing, finally flinging myself onto the Moss covered Rocks, understanding I had done...something. Something important.

There was always a figure with me...a masculine figure, edging just beyond my sight...just there.

As I flung myself to the Mossy, Rocky ground, laughing in sheer delight, I would catch longer glimpses of a man...a man I knew very well, although I did not recognize him, in my daily life. This man was not tall, he was very sure of himself and the Mountain he stood upon. He stood, not speaking, just watching me, and looking at the view.

I remember seeing vast quantities of heather in bloom. From the Mountaintop, the various colourations of purple blended into a giant patchwork quilt, one made by Creator's loving and artistic hand. There were Trees, close to where I sat, but I don't recall what kind...coniferous and deciduous mixed.

And in the far off horizon, I could see a touch of blue. I understood it was the Ocean.

I would wake laughing, feeling light of heart, during a bleak time in my life, where I had little hope. For awhile, although I didn't entirely understand the dream, it would give me some badly needed positive energy.

And then, out of the blue, Graham came into my life. Suddenly, my dream made perfect sense to me.

Graham is a Mountain Climber. He has climbed all over the world, although funnily enough, not in Scotland.

And when we met, it was as if we had known each other all our lives...we were so familiar to each other. He has the same energy signature of the Man on the Mountain Top.

We think the same, mostly. We are either completely in tune...or have totally opposite reactions. It is as if he is the other half of me...together we are whole.

We intend to visit Scotland, in the future. I want to find the Mountain Top, although I rather doubt I could climb it, now. But I know it is there.

The psychic's prophecy came true, after many years of searching, of half believing her prediction might yet come to fruition.

And then, along with my dreams of Scotland, it did.

16 comments:

  1. BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS! wow.. love them :)

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  2. Interesting story.....as always Marion. I hope you get to Scotland as it really is a beautiful place and once you leave the major cities its very remote. Whilst its beautiful at all times of the year seeing it on clear rainfree days is much better. Choosing those will be the skill.

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  3. What a beautiful love story. I was fortunate enough to find my other half early in life, but I'm glad you have found the one who completes you.

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  4. Matt,

    Thank you! They're from Clip Art, of course, but the captions showed they were in Scotland.

    Davem,

    Yes, I imagine the weather to be very much like ours...I think Wales is possibly even more so. We have valleys, etc. where the weather is milder, and the Island is moderated by the Ocean.

    So, I am used to Rain...I find, if I'm dressed for it, I don't mind it!

    DB,

    Thank you, I am so glad you found your other half early in life...marriages can work, I guess, if partners aren't completely in tune with one another, but in my case, this one is definitely the best!

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  5. It`s been so long since I`ve visited Marion and what a beautiful love story to find!

    tea
    xo

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  6. how perfectly romantic and...perfect!

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  7. Even before Graham came into your life, it seems he was there waiting for you. Very lovely story. I think sometimes how would it be to be alone and I'm glad I have someone to share my life with.

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  8. What a great, interesting story and wonderful photos! Thank you!

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  9. Anonymous4:12 p.m.

    I think love can be that way, waiting in the sidelines until the moment is right. Perhaps, sometimes, the longer we wait for it the more ready we are to appreciate it. Then, when you find it, it can seem that everything in your life has led you in this direction, toward each other. I'm glad you found your Scottish love, Marion! :)

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  10. Tea,

    I'm happy to see you! I have kept up with your site, and I can see how busy you've been, with all your handiwork! You're very creative.

    Pauline,

    It is, isn't it, lol! This relationship was meant to be.

    Sheila,

    I came out of that solitary time a far different person, with different thinking...and the freedom to do so. It was intoxicating for awhile; I much prefer living in sync with someone.

    I've discovered there's nothing like it! Who knew?! Lol

    Amber,

    Thank you...I enjoy your blog as well! You are very talented!

    B,

    I believe that is exactly what happened...both of us were required to wait until we had learned a few things, before we were ready for each other.

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  11. Anonymous3:39 p.m.

    Your photos make me want to return to Scotland myself. My adult visits have been to Edinburgh and Glasgow. I haven't been out in the countryside there since I toured with my parents as a young teenager. It's a beautiful place. The main memory that's surfaced from that time may seem a little incongruent though. I remember one day sitting in a cafe when a group of young people came in, making quite a noise. They weren't talking loudly or anything. It's just that they had bells around their necks - and flowers in their hair. That was 1967 and Scott Mackenzie's 'San Francisco' was number one in the charts!

    I'm glad you found the man of your dreams and I hope you enjoy your visit when you come. Like I say, it's a beautiful place - even in the rain!

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  12. This is a beautiful post Marion. Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm so glad you finally found your soulmate in Graham. You have been through so much in your life, you deserve some happiness. Your story gives hope and inspiration to others who have been in similar situations.

    Thank you for supporting the carnival Marion. I'm just checking all the links work. I'm hoping to have the carnival post up tomorrow if you want to come and visit.

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  13. What a lovely story. And the pictures are wonderful. I don't know all of my family tree, but I do know that I have a distant relative, from the McNeil clan of the island of Bara in Scotland.

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  14. Simon,

    I am looking forward to visiting all the UK; Naomi and Davem both have stimulated an ongoing interest.

    If it rains, it will be just like being at home!

    Naomi,

    What an awesome job you did with the carnival! So many links to explore...thank you for all your hard work!

    Marsha,

    That's a great place to start...at least you have the name! Alistair has a post about the number of people who contact him re family genealogy. It's an extremely interesting subject, and would be wonderful to pursue.

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  15. Oh how romantic! I loved it.
    Me being an immigrant from South Africa, my parents are Dutch and German descendent.
    My hubby's mum came from England and her parents came from the French Hugono's (spelling?) his dad was Irish decent and my hubby now always jokingly brag he is from the Viking clan LOL. So I suppose it makes out boy quite an interesting little creature?

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  16. What a tragedy. I lost many friends, but no true love, during the Viet Nam war.

    Thanks for sharing your life with us. Here from Naomi's Carnival.

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