On a sunny mid-August morning earlier this year, Herb and I were traveling through the hills near Holy Loch, Scotland, on our way to a place called Rest And Be Thankful. The viewpoint marks the spot where Highlanders moving their livestock would pause to rest after climbing the surrounding steep hills, thankful to have made it to the summit. A Rest And Be Thankful monument was installed there in the mid-1700s, commemorating the completion of a military road.
As monuments go, Rest And Be Thankful isn’t very impressive. Small and unassuming, with an inscription that has faded as time has passed, it sits beneath a tree near a forested path, a marker that is likely noticeable only to those looking for it. But its name has a powerful meaning and is something that has stayed with me all these months later. A little stone with a big message.
Rest And Be Thankful.
I’ve been thinking about those words of Scottish wisdom as I make plans and preparations for our family’s Thanksgiving visit, and how it’s the little things we remember and are thankful for from one holiday to the next. The stories, the traditions, the mishaps, and the moments we treasure all become tightly woven into our family lore… often to be recounted and retold with slight embellishments for many years to come.
Travel is like that, too – a series of small moments wrapped up in a journey of many miles. When we returned home from this past trip, our daughter Emily wanted to know our favorite experience. I think she was expecting me to say Iceland or Greenland or something big and grand. Instead, I told her about our unexpected lunch on a ghost island called Île aux Marins and the woman with the French accent and dangling cigarette who called to us from the balcony of La Maison Jézéquel. A little moment and an unforgettable memory.
A few Christmases ago, Herb and I gave each other a personalized map of the world with push pins to mark the places we’ve been. The map hangs in our home office surrounded by framed travel photos and mementos. Whenever we have a new pin to add, we do it together, sometimes toasting the occasion with a glass of wine. For this past trip, we added three new countries and two Canadian provinces. A little moment of big thanks.
In this spirit of Thanksgiving, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to you, my dear friends and lovers of travel, who take the time to read this blog. Your kind words and continued support these past ten years have inspired me tremendously. It’s truly a joy and an honor to share my travel stories and photos with you.
Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate. Of course, we don’t need a national holiday – or a stone marker in the hills of Scotland – to remind us to be thankful for the little things. Those memories are always with us, waiting to be rediscovered whenever we take the time to rest and be thankful.
Wonderful
Thanks, Rebecca! Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!😊
Thank you, Mary! This is a wonderful reminder for all of us living our very busy lives!
So great to hear from you, Peggy! I know what you mean about “very busy lives,” especially this time of year. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
We have several maps on our office walls…US with states, World, and a second Western Hemisphere. All 50 states have pins as do many Carribean, South Pacific, and European countries
Aren’t those maps wonderful, Robin?! And how fun to have several representing different parts of the world. That’s quite an impressive lineup of pins… your walls must be overflowing with memories!😊 Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.
We love our map too. Brings back some wonderful memories. We also have pins for future booked trips, we find it adds to the anticipation. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Herb and your family.
It’s wonderful to hear from you, Josh! I hope you and your family have been well. I’m happy to hear that you’re a fan of travel maps, too. And what a great idea to add pins for future trips! Happy Thanksgiving and happy future travels from Herb and me!
Lovely Mar – chills as always from reading your words. We must catch up very soon!
xoxo
Frack
Aww thanks, Mar. Let’s definitely catch up after Thanksgiving. Hope you, Gary and Rachel have a great turkey day! (Only you…classic signature! 😆)
“Rest and be Thankful” says it all! Grateful that we are able to share our friendship and travels after all these years, my friend.
Sending blessings to you and yours!
XO
Deb
I’m so grateful for your friendship as well, Deb, and look forward to sharing more travel tales in the years to come. Sending lots of love and Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you and Doug and your family!
❤️🤩🦃
We are unsure whether we are more thankful for our internet connection now, having been without it for three days. Or, perhaps we are thankful for those three days without it, because of all those things we managed to get done! I will say without any doubt, that I missed keeping up with friends far and near and it felt so good to return here and find a new post! Yes indeed, we have so many special travel memories but also, the dear friends who we’ve met as a result of them too, including you both. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family and here’s to more pins on your map!
What a lovely sentiment, Gill…thank you so much! I can imagine how unsettling it must have been at first to lose internet connection for three days and then discover how it was like “old times” slipping back into life without it. Herb and I feel the same as you about the people we’ve met through our travels and how especially wonderful it was to finally meet you and Mark in person this summer after all these years of corresponding. Gratitude with a capital “G”!🥰