Journal/ Coast to Coast—Day 14

Journal/ Coast to Coast—Day 14

Date: September 4th, 2017/ Reeth to Richmond

                                       “Up above a castle!  Down below a stream!
                                           Up above a ruin!  Down below a dream!
                                        Man made the castle, rude, forbidding, bare.
                                            God made the river, swift, eternal, fair.”

From the recollections of Mr M Wise as
recorded in Richmond Yorkshire in 1830sIn the blink of an eye…
we were ‘in’ a castle.
Its ruins still standing, holding ground—
creating THIS town, Richmond.

Those who dwelt here carried with them the ‘keys’ to the kingdom—

A kingdom holding others at bay…
even the churches governed by its king.

The architecture—its mastery…created by the
peasants who dwelt outside.
Perhaps, they lived beside the river
or a ‘spot’ of land with towering trees.
The little they had~~~
those outside the castle walls—
knew the gift of work,
but they understood ‘heaven’s’ HOME
they dwelt within.

They offered thanks in hardship
and celebrated life as if it were a song played on and on
through chirping birds, baying ewes AND
soldiers marching through the streets.

Immersed in history—
pages from our past bringing to life—NOW!

Here in this ‘landscape’
I have met the most hospitable persons.
I am NOT staying in castles…
When we arrive at our homestead for
the evening, yes, we two strangers, knock
upon a door—warmly we are greeted,
invited in…SUDDENLY—we are
NEIGHBORS.

ALWAYS—the invitation to tea,
fresh baked goods lavishly arranged in our rooms…
a banquet of plenty.
Here in this moment…this dwelling place—
the reign of God.