Fortress of Solitude

My recent trip through the English countryside was my fifth time visiting the country. I didn’t plan to visit the UK this many times. It was just a stroke of luck and an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

Some may think it is unusual to visit one place so many times. You may say that I am limiting my outlook and not expanding my horizons by visiting other places.

I disagree.

Have ever discover a place that everything just fit? You feel safe and at a peace, even if it is for a short period of time. That is how I feel when I visit the UK. I have never encountered such a place that filled me with so much joy and adventure all at the same time. Look at me, I am talking about this place like it is Disney World. However, to me, it is.

Not only do I feel safe in this cocoon of beautiful scenery, I feel at home with a deeper connection with myself. And if i discover a place that has endowed me with so much peace and serenity, why shouldn’t I return to it more than once?

The Lake District was the first stop on our tour and an absolute favorite of mine. I can understand why writers like William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter fell in love with the region. I would stay here all my life if I could. My worries just slipped away once I was in this heavenly place. My mother and I went on walks, traveled to various popular lakes, and basked in the beautiful landscape that the Lake District had to offer.

 

 

However, all this beauty was marred by some devastating news I received on our trip. On August 25, my grandfather passed away. I thought I would have more time with him, get to see him one last time. But that wasn’t in the cards.

We couldn’t get back right away so we our holiday continued. There were times I thought it was wrong for me to enjoy any part of my vacation, given what has happened. But, my grandfather, an avid advocate of learning and education, would have wanted us to actively absorb the environment around us. My grandfather is in a peaceful and although it pained me that he wasn’t with us anymore (it still does), the love of learning that was instilled in his children and grandchildren is what carried us on and allowed us to continue to discover the beauties of England.

 

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So as I browse through my pictures, I reflect on how I felt through my entire trip. Not only I felt relaxed, but I felt at peace. All excitement and passion I had for life felt like bursting out of my soul. People might say that this is the allurement of all getaways, a brief escape from real life. This may be true. But it is so wrong that the English countryside and the cities’ historical architecture cause extreme exuberance within me? I can’t explain any more how this place means so much to me. Now I know how Superman felt.

I finally found my fortress of solitude.