In Scotland, Everything Stands Still

What is it about this place?
As wide open spaces are nothing new,
& these views themselves have become familiar friends.
I still breathe them in at every chance as if I have never tasted the mountain air before,
Even though it runs through my veins.
The soft earth & endless paths invite you to wander,
stones turned by so many before me.
I am hardly the first to hear my heart beat in rhythm with the flowing streams.
When here, my soul feels at home,
my journey isn’t long enough.
I am without worry among these hills.
My otherwise constant concern falls still &
my weariness quiet.
I can set it down gently to cool in the glens,
give it shade beneath the heather.
What felt so much before,
seems nothing unconquerable now.
It no longer matters if I don’t know where I’m headed,
or how long it may take me.
I’d walk these hills forever.
Sharing them with those I love most,
or for once without fear on my own.
Because if heaven is not in the Highlands,
then I don’t want to go.”
—————

I wrote this poem after a Summer road trip back in 2022 through my favorite place on Earth, Scotland. As you can see I was heavily influenced by the Robert Burns book I had along with me. As someone who romanticises life, Scotland seems to do the work for you. Every view is a story, every stranger a friend. The folklore can be felt in every corner and you can easily lose yourself for weeks just exploring. I have spent my fair time in the major cities there and loved every minute, but after a day or two, I inevitably want to grab my figurative skirt and run with the wind to the nearest valley.