IF STONES COULD SPEAK

 

A series of essays….

THE CRAGGY HARTLAND HERITAGE COASTLINE OF NORTHERN DEVON

        Courtesy of Pinterest

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Travel. Travel is a simple word that is often taken for granted. It’s often ignored, unexplored, and put off for a better time—when there’s extra cash on hand and more time to plan an adventure; being able to explore different possibilities after firmly establishing ourselves in a workplace.

When we snooze, we loose out in so many ways! COVID-19 has left us snoozing but feeling more cautious and aware of the world and the people around us. Fortunately, its ugly head has been pushed further into the background by science and those who choose to believe in the power of modern science by getting vaccinated and making the world a safer place. We’ve been transformed from fear into isolation and are, just recently, discovering a freedom of movement not felt in a very long time.

The travel juices seem to be flowing these days my friends. Like a flash flood following a heavy rainfall, more and more of us are riding the waves and itching from the travel bug by taking advantage of the opportunity to spread our wings and fly. The brilliant photos published on Facebook of smiling faces with parents and their children, ranging from toddlers to young adults, discovering themselves trekking trails in Ireland together, enjoying overdue family reunions in Italy, discovering the romantic charms of Paris, and opening new doors to the mind by visiting countless museums and historical points of interest all over the world!

It’s a good time to be alive! It’s the right time to explore places, reminisce about our youth and past experiences, and speak to others who can enlighten us and share their own stories for us to, perhaps, write about in the future.

Having always had a passion for history, especially social history and how ordinary people lived and saw the world, I feel a great affinity to this time and place, honed from the past. When simple pleasures of life were celebrated and human connection, respect, and empathy flourished. If stone façades and interior walls could talk, the stories they would relate would be nothing short of brilliant. The stones themselves carry the history of the world within them and I will continue to gently touch and caress them hoping to hear and feel their stories coming through my fingertips and the soft skin of my palms. I am always amazed by the ability of inanimate objects to communicate with us in such kind and subtle ways.

The destination for our upcoming trip next month was selected for its calm, undulating green fields, open spaces, stone houses, one-of-a-kind historical background, long stretches of sandy beaches, and the brilliant folks we will eventually get to meet. London isn’t even on the radar. Three days and nights exploring Devon and Cornwall, we’ll follow the expansive coastline and walk trails that meander through the heart of these beautiful counties with their picturesque villages and idyllic countryside. We’ll drive down to Land’s End (most westerly point of mainland England) and discover how much pirate’s blood flows within us at Lizard’s Point and Penzance. 

STONE COTTAGE WE’LL CALL HOME
IN OSWESTRY, POWYS

OUR VIEW WHILE WE’RE THERE

Leaving Hartland Heritage Coast of North Devon and its dramatic coastlines, rugged cliffs and breath-taking beaches, we will drive north to Wales to stay in a small, stone cottage within the shadow of Mount Snowden, standing tall at 3,560 feet. We’ll be calling this home for the next five nights. Open a door out from this sweet, two-bedroom cottage and we’re on the path of several countryside walks with mountains in the distance. Dan has his research of Arthurian Legend to peruse while in this area of Wales, as well as mapping our drive up 

into the Lake District north of Wales where we’ll stop by BirdOswald Roman Fort and the Hadrian’s Wall & Museum in Gilsland. 

Keeping a slower pace will require bringing a bottle or two of ‘good red’ home along with steaks to grill at the small side patio while observing the rolling green hills that surround us. Perhaps a good bottle of champagne will be in order to help celebrate this special anniversary trip! 

Saying good-bye to Wales, we’ll drive east into the Yorkshire Dales and then head south into the Cotswolds for a two night stay in Buford, our home base for driving, walking, shopping and soaking in the beauty of the rich honey colored stone that comprise most of the homes, churches, and shops there. I can imagine walking over low bridges that cross the canals in this area and sampling regional fare from farmer’s markets and local eateries. 

Flying out in the late afternoon for home from Heathrow Airport will give us time to visit Oxford, the City of Dreaming Spires, famous the world over for its University and place in history. We hope to familiarize ourselves with as much of this 9th century home to royalty and scholars as possible, taking many pictures in a vain attempt to capture its very soul.  So little time…

Rereading my story makes it sound as though everything we will experience will be preplanned or scheduled. Not so! Because we choose to self-drive, it usually means that a certain amount of structure is necessary. Dan and I always make sure that, at least, seventy percent of our excursions are based on what comes naturally along with many surprises to fill in the gaps.

Along the way, the photos taken will pacify our desire to remember our time in England and Wales for many years. They will be used as writing prompts and eye candy by me for the future essays generated from our time there. And, I can only imagine that while we sit under the stars at night and reminisce about the day’s adventures, we both will be planning yet another trip in our heads to be shared with one another at a later date; another time. 

Travel. It is the most unique opportunity we have to keep places close to our hearts and fold in ideas to fuel topics for future conversations. I am so looking forward to writing my stories while documenting and reliving this delightful adventure for years to come!

MOVING ON…2013 - 2023

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

WAITING FOR GENTLENESS — IT REALLY MAKES ME WONDER

 

A series of essays….

COLLIOURE, FRANCE: THE MERGING OF A GENTLE LIFE OF SAND,
SEA, AND A PLEASANT, MUCH SLOWER PACE OF LIFE 

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Dream Job: a position that combines an activity, skill or passion with a moneymaking opportunity. It can be exciting and glamorous, like acting or playing music, or it can be prestigious and high-paying like working as a doctor or lawyer.

Or…,

Yesterday there was sun and there was rain; beauty in the mundane. Something in the air; let it shimmer on our skin.

I’m glad I let the sun shine in today. I’m trying to make the darkness go away. I’m gonna try to spread my wings so I can fly.

…it can be a happy, loving medium that fills your heart with the wonders of simple peace and satisfaction. And, that’s exactly what I am seeking.

I’ve been asking myself appropriate questions that help me to pull deep down inside my gut, my soul, and take me on a long twisting ride down a path that suits my personality, sensitivity, and mental processes. Shall I leave behind the fast paced world of daily schedules and the time controlling aspects of a modern lifestyle? Making lists of where I fit in; adjusting to a healthier existence as I correct my past utilizing an outline for the future.

Dream… I choose to dream about things that cater to a simple life. A life soft and gentle enough, yet sustainable for myself and the environment. A life filled with wonderment and kindness where I can question the existence of the dynamic clouds and learn to accept their purpose as they roil and become shape-changers within their magical presence overhead.

Why does the sky sometimes hide behind the clouds? Maybe it’s just like me a little bit scared of heights. It really makes me wonder. Yes, it really makes me wonder.

Why do the trees get undressed when it’s cold? Don’t they miss the leaves they left behind? Could it be to make the ground shine like gold until the winter comes? It really makes me wonder.

One part of my extensive notes and the potential answer to many of my questions — amazes me! For some unknown reason I have learned to place corresponding scents from inanimate objects into realtime and virtually immediately. Simply, the power of suggestion, or could this be part of the magic of living the life of an empath all these years? The residuals from being a good listener? 

I am sensitive to emotions and tend to pick-up on other aspects of the environment. I’ve always been prone to reading the needs of others. Lately, I’ve become more aware of sights, sounds, smells, and other physical sensations that others might not notice. A paper rose can come alive with its scent inhaled as if recently cut from the garden. Noises easily become distractions with the exception of classical music and soft piano compositions.

So, I sit here, nestled among the pillows on my comfortable, tapestry covered chair, contemplating, questioning, and planning out the shortest term of my life; the final chapters of this living novel that will be my personal take on what has been, what is, and what will be — The End!

The dream job I would choose to see me through the final chapters would take me to a small Provençal hill-top village in France. The names of all of the villagers are well known and I will smile and greet everyone on my way to the Boulangerie for croissants and baguettes each morning. After my petit-déjeuner, and grabbing my keys from the console table, I will head over to the area flea markets and brocantes (shops having more specialized items) to find simple gems of pottery, glass, wood furniture, paintings, and so much more, that I plan on displaying in my own Brocante I will run out of my home.

LIVING IS SHARING PRESSED COFFEE, 
PASTRIES, AND GENTLE CONVERSATION
WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVE

The thrill of the hunt is always exciting, and Dan and I will be driving into Lyon tomorrow and then up to Paris to find some larger items to add to my little shop. Along the way, we will meet some of the sweetest people (and possible new friends) while stopping for snacks, filling-up the van with gas, and speaking with those sitting near us while enjoying lunch at a small village café. I am never at a loss for words and find myself totally receptive to a sweet smile or act of kindness.

Driving our new finds home through small villages and stopping at more flea markets, the van full to the metal ceiling, we arrive home to unload the goodies that will be cleaned, possibly painted as display cases for the items in the shop. No time schedules to impede my freedom. My only concern is which kind of homemade jam to slather on a slice of buttered baguette to eat with our afternoon tea.

Mild breezes brush the skin with the kindness of a mother’s touch. The new, green leaves imitate her fingertips with bent branches swaying; Love is in the air and It makes me wonder.

Gentleness is not passive; it requires resistance to brutality. Must hard times hover over our daily routines? Must we wait to slow down the pace only when gray begins to streak our heads? It really makes me wonder.

Here’s to passion and compassion, dreaming about dream jobs, writing our latest chapters, leaving beautiful surprises to discover along life’s path, and loving so deeply all that Mother Nature has so kindly gifted us along our way. And, may we always make time to slow down the pace of life long enough to enjoy it all.

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved 

Photos Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER

 

A series of essays….

HERE’S TO THE JOY OF LIVING A FULL LIFE AND THINKING YOUNG

Courtesy of GettyImages.com

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Mom always had a simple rule for her four kids that allowed us to beat the odds, keep our sanity, and overcome many adversities. I suppose one could call it, mind over matter. She believed that your mind could out best your physical self by the shear willpower one places behind their mental ability to convince themselves that an opposite reaction holds greater validity. At best, she could be quite a good teacher at having willpower overcome physical obstacles.

I think it was because Mom didn’t drive and Dad worked away from home for most of the week that her survival instincts while raising the four of us necessitated a unique balance between reality and spirituality. Her charms shone brightly out of the necessity of having to survive just like her own Mother who left Ukraine seeking a better life while in her early twenties and proceeded to raise thirteen children in her new country, the USA.

We walked to perform many functions, even in the middle of the frigid Indiana winter months, such as grocery shopping while pulling the Radio Flyer through the snow in order to bring our basic acquisitions home. Literally shaking in my fake-fur-top boots, lips turning blue, Mom would tell us to stop shivering and instruct our brains to embrace a warm, inner peace, allowing the sun to shine down through the top of our heads and penetrate our bodies with its warmth. Amazingly, my five-year-old brain could concede of this notion and I would stop my shivering for the amount of time it took to run into the manufactured heat of our cozy kitchen.

Applying some of these same principles into my teen and adult life, I’ve often found them to be helpful and inspiring just as Mom’s spirit and character endeared her to everyone who met her. She taught me how to take charge of my life, reach out for anything I wanted and go for it, whether it be good grades, talking with others and making new friends, or interviewing for a job and feeling confident about securing it.

Considering that the mind is truly the most powerful asset we possess as functioning, intelligent beings, we learn throughout our life that if we can control its power through shear will, we can accomplish many things: weight management, learning a new skill, standing tall in our own beliefs, and how to control our own shivering whether it be out of fear or our bodies fighting back from the cold. 

Just as a house comes to life when filled with many people — we ‘Baby Boomers’ are filling the ranks of the senior population and creating a necessity for new products, ideas and ways of thinking, and the adjustment of how aging is perceived. Cavalier Boomers retire with an attitude of ‘now is my time to break the norm and begin to live.’ Understanding that new adventures can be just around the corner, along with the lifting of harsh COVID-19 rules, the mind is allowed to roam free, once again. As delusional as it may sound, it might be healthy to pretend you’re younger than you really are.

Markus Wettstein, a psychologist at Humboldt University of Berlin, conducted a study this past April where he concluded that “People who feel younger are healthier and remain healthier over time.” If you’re not yet in that feeling young frame of mind, you may want to think about engaging in physical activities (for example, pickle ball) to combating negative ageist stereotypes. This may include eliminating the word OLD from your primary vocabulary. Especially when there are so many ways to feel YOUNG! Inserting mind over matter may be a brilliant ticket to success when it comes to combating the aging process.

You might begin by asking yourself, “How old do I feel?” Research shows that many adults feel a few years to decades younger, and this may be a good thing. Most adults are not guided by the small aches and pains of aging, but rather disallow them to take over their lives. By doing so, they are allowing their chronological age to become just another number. 

I’ve always found that a sure way of feeling younger than you are is to hang-out with younger people. Perhaps it’s with grandchildren making TicTok videos together. Or, it may be within your workplace where you make a choice to have conversations with younger coworkers and catch-up on current events and ideas. Living in or near a college town is a must for me. Here one can take advantage of various programs and classes, enjoy the art scene including exhibitions and play productions, or simply take a walk around campus and soak in the surroundings. 

Now that I fit into the category of ‘older adults,’ I insist on believing that how I feel about my age has been changing for the better over time and adults, in general, may be feeling younger than their counterparts in the past. Interestingly, I know I have my Mother to thank for my current and healthy frame of mind. Many of my generation are allowing the sun to shine down through the top of their heads and are accepting that age has nothing to do with how good we want to feel about ourselves. The thing is, we must want to feel good about ourselves and block-out those ageist stereotypes as much as feasibly possible. 

So, each day I remember climbing a mountain in Ireland several years ago to keeping my shoulders down and back straight at all times. I refuse to curve my back and slump into an old age I am mentally not identifying with. Right now, age is only a number to me. If I remain feeling healthy, joyful, and adventurous for many years to come, I know I will have been doing something very powerful in my life.

Thank you, Mom, for teaching us that a younger subjective age can be correlated with better overall health and all we have to do is believe in the power of mind over matter; a unique balance between the gentle denial of reality and the acceptance of who we truly are or want to be.

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved