A Second Look

It’s true that you don’t always know what you’ve got if you’ve always had it.  Perhaps on some level you do, but we all lose perspective at times.   

For example, after some recent outings, it appears that A doesn’t view Cumbria (or Scotland for that matter) with the same eyes that I currently do.  With typical American enthusiasm, I manage to exclaim in one form or another (gasp, sucking in breath, ooohs, aaaaahs, wide eyes, squeals, happy remarks, et al) regarding the stunning beauty of the landscapes that unfold around every bend in the road.  As A drives, I happily click away with the camera as if I could somehow document each beautiful vista in a way that would come close to doing it justice.  (Not an easy feat in general or at speed from a car window).  

A occasionally fails to match my fervor and zeal for wanting to explore every corner of this beautiful country.  It’s not that he doesn’t appreciate it … indeed he loves it!   Still, when I tell him I want to holiday in certain corners of the UK, it doesn’t hold the same appeal for him as, say, Africa, or Egypt, or other exotic corners of the Earth.  I suppose that if the tables had been turned, I might have had a similar attitude, so I’m not criticizing.  I’m just recognizing the challenge which now presents itself:  to get A to see his world with my eyes and recall the reasons why it’s worthy of silent (and sometimes not so silent) wonderment.