Holy Isle 5
There was an amazing storm this morning and some people wouldn't go out in it, but I loved it. The sea was high, the waves crashing onto the rocks and white-horses and gusts of sea-spray for as far as you could see. I went across to the little house to meditate as usual at 7.30 this morning in the pitch dark and the wind nearly knocked me off my feet; by the time I had reached the little house my face (the only bit of me that was exposed) was soaking wet, I thought from rain water, but my lips were salty and it was sea-spray that had soaked me - the air was full of the sea.
It was lovely to sit in a warm, quiet room and meditate while the storm blew outside, we emerged to angry, lowering skies and more icy rain and to the sight of a little sheep trundling along, nibbling the grass as usual, as if this were no more than a breeze. I guess they are built for this weather.
The boat that ferries us across to Arran can't come over in a storm this strong, so we are all stuck on the island for at least two more days (we were due to leave tomorrow). There is nothing to do about this but accept it and be glad, because there are worse places to be stranded! Although we had no electricity today, there has been the comfort of the wood-burning stove in the dining room and, as the kitchen is connected to the generator, a hearty lunch and dinner; when it got dark at about 4.30pm someone lit hundreds of tea-lights and they made everything look so beautiful that when the electricity came back on halfway through dinner, we turned the lights off again. And the friendly Dutch man has a guitar and a girl from Brighton has a mandolin and so there will be music this evening, and the electricity is back on, so there is light and warmth and everyone has everything they need.
So I've had to change my flight and I miss my children and I'll have to cancel the yoga class I was due to teach on Thursday, but I am lucky that everyone at home is safe and happy and that I have the support of family and friends, so that this is an inconvenience and not an emergency. I feel very grateful for that.
It was lovely to sit in a warm, quiet room and meditate while the storm blew outside, we emerged to angry, lowering skies and more icy rain and to the sight of a little sheep trundling along, nibbling the grass as usual, as if this were no more than a breeze. I guess they are built for this weather.
The boat that ferries us across to Arran can't come over in a storm this strong, so we are all stuck on the island for at least two more days (we were due to leave tomorrow). There is nothing to do about this but accept it and be glad, because there are worse places to be stranded! Although we had no electricity today, there has been the comfort of the wood-burning stove in the dining room and, as the kitchen is connected to the generator, a hearty lunch and dinner; when it got dark at about 4.30pm someone lit hundreds of tea-lights and they made everything look so beautiful that when the electricity came back on halfway through dinner, we turned the lights off again. And the friendly Dutch man has a guitar and a girl from Brighton has a mandolin and so there will be music this evening, and the electricity is back on, so there is light and warmth and everyone has everything they need.
So I've had to change my flight and I miss my children and I'll have to cancel the yoga class I was due to teach on Thursday, but I am lucky that everyone at home is safe and happy and that I have the support of family and friends, so that this is an inconvenience and not an emergency. I feel very grateful for that.
Atmospheric or what...best laid plans...V.
ReplyDelete