Posted in My Heritage

Today I had a letter from my mother.

She and my father are at present in Rome, Italy - halfway through their European tour. They have spent their lives in ministry and travelling the world to various places - a lot of the time staying in squalor or very basic accommodations. This is the first 'holiday' they've ever had abroad that hasn't involved official ministry work.

We are enjoying 'following' them on tour, and Mum is great at sending postcards. Today we got a nice big envelope from London with postcards and tourist brochures. I've spent a happy half hour reading every single word in the brochure she sent from their tour of Kensington Palace. I would so love to go to England. I just love English history and royal history and English literature, and I guess a part of this interest stems from the fact that some of my own history lies in England. Except for one marriage to a native New Zealander (Maori) in 1810, all of my ancestors are either from Scotland or England, arriving here in the mid 1800's.

Mum said in her postcard that Queen Victoria was raised in Kensington Palace and they saw the bed she was woken up in to tell her that she would be Queen. So many Kings and Queens lived and died there, I would thrill to see the walls and the ceilings and the halls and floors, and imagine those old days gone and the people who walked them, and lived in them and the impact they have had on our world, and the tragedy and the glory and the interesting little details in their lives. Why did Queen Anne fall out with the Duchess of Marlborough, and why was it a stormy end? That is what I am going to try and find out today. Thank you google!

They went to Windsor Castle to see Queen Mary's Dollshouse, and after Europe they're going to visit Beatrix Potter country, and also see James Herriot's territory. Mum sends us short texts from the places they're visiting, such as from Austria:

"had a horse and carriage ride to lunch today. Very charming."

or from Switzerland, "bought H a swiss army knife, and M a Heidi doll today."

or from Venice, Italy, "Having a lovely time shopping in Venice. Wish I were rich. Beautiful, magical place."

If I could get over my hatred and fear of flying, I would jump on a plane today and go over there. But I was thinking about that and realize that I am a true child of my generation. If I want something now, then I must get that something now. It is a very hard habit to break. I am trying to learn to live a new way - to save my money, to be content with what I have and where I am, to enjoy the simple things in life.

My parents have always wanted to go to England - always. And they have waited until they had the time, and the means to do it - waiting until their responsibilities to their family were largely over. I know, that unless the Lord makes a way in the next ten years or so, that I will have to wait until I am in my retirement years as well. My grandparents did this, my parents did this, and I will probably do this as well. But my human nature wants to do it now. What if I can't do it when I'm old? What if the world is a different place then and travel is difficult? What if...... the lists go on. I can't see into the future anymore than anyone else can, but I am learning to be content; to enjoy the travel through the eyes of others and to wait patiently for my turn, and to be content if it doesn't happen either. My paternal grandmother never left the South Island of New Zealand once throughout her life, except for when she was 79 years old, she got on a plane and flew one hour up to us in Auckland. I can learn from her - if she is content to stay in one place for that long, I can be content to stay home too if that is needed. I am blessed to have travelled much of the world already, and I am learning to find the thrill in the everyday familiar things of a little piece of rural land in north canterbury, surrounded by beautiful mountains and hills and glorious plains and a wide open sea, in my husband and my interesting children and the large blue sky that stretches above us.

I guess I can wait for the glories and majesties, and the thrills of England.