Great Friends

Good for the soul

We seem to be located right smack bang in the middle bit of Scotland where we are as close to the sea as we are far away from it. I adore the sea. It makes my body tingle when I swim and my eyes feel as if everything comes into focus after I have been submerged into it and let it hold me. It really does energise me and sometimes I forget that I need it. I guess that is why the island of Tiree where we are building a house is so close to my heart. As soon as I am on the ferry out of Oban I feel great.

I was therefore really looking forward to catching up with a great friend on Saturday as she has moved from the West end of Glasgow to the unbelievably pretty fishing port of St Monans in Fife. She adores the sea as much, if not more than me as she is from Northern Ireland and spent all her family holidays swimming in the wild waves off their coast.

(Part of the coastal path from St Monans to Elie)

It was so good for my soul to hang out with my friend as I am not only delighted that they are so happy with their move but also delighted that they are right by the sea.

This particular friend and I worked our way through the psychodynamic counselling course together so we really did break ourselves down and put ourselves back together over those years which is why we have such a bond. We supported each other through the dark times and the good times as the course made us really look at everything in life slightly differently and with a further depth than ever before. I guess that it was no wonder that we found ourselves in Portugal by the sea for a few weeks one summer. The sea called to us both and we needed it more than ever at that point.

At the weekend we walked along the coastal path via a farmers market where we had a delicious bite to eat and a local beer. It was just sublime to sit in the sun enjoying the craic before heading back onto the coastal path and along to Elie where we went for a swim. Blooming heck, it was refreshing! As I was walking in I did think this was a lot colder than swimming in Tiree and remembered that I was basically heading into the North Sea! It felt so good to feel the tingles on my skin as I began to swim, the catch of the breath as the cold caught me then the glorious feeling of swimming.

(the beach at Elie)

I got home that night back to the farm feeling alive and happy.

Good friends are good for the soul.

The sea is good for the soul.

I also feel of course that my family, ponies, dogs, good food, good wine and a little bit of sunshine are also good for the soul.

It looks like another gloriously sunny week ahead for us all here so I think I will definitely be heading into the river on the farm for a swim. It won’t be the same tingles as the sea but just good to get in.

What do you find is good for your soul? Do let me know as I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading to the end and have a great sunny week x