The Archive of Longing.

Good morning from a dull and grey suburbia this campervan morning. A wee bit chiller than of late. A breeze making itself known and keeping the trees busy. The sky layered greyness above me crawling eastwards. Lots of Crows around me, warning signals from Robins and a few in song further away. However, it’s the Crows that are the busiest. The author Kate Horsley writes :

“ It is better to listen to a crow in the trees than to a learned man who lives only in ideas “.

I kinda get that. It’s another relatively quiet morning save for the crows, whose conversation is welcome, nature is very much to the fore. Rustling branches and leaves being the foundation of this morning’s soundtrack. Still surrounded by lush greenness and October only a few days away. Reflecting on the last few days experiences of generosity, connection, community, compassion and now quiet and contemplation. Very much crossing off the days before Scotland bound once more ( I am not sure if I have mentioned that ! ). Knee deep in photos and film from the Orkney trip just makes the longing more real. The wonderful Susan Sontag once wrote :

“ My library is an archive of longing “.

In my minds eye, as I cast an eye over my library, the books that strike me are those that fuel that longing. Books of the wild, landscapes, mountains, walking, photography, travel, ancient ways, wild swimming, camping and of course Scotland. However more importantly is my internal library of thoughts, memories and experiences sparked in an instant when that longing is ignited. Lovely days people.

“ We all have an old knot in the heart we wish to untie.” Michael Ondaatje.