This time, last year, it was the last week of the UK summer vacation. We’d just returned from Scotland and the only thing that had to be ticked off our list was the pub-hopping and exploring the London nightlife.
We were really looking forward to going to the pubs, more for the English music than the alcohol – like always. So, after work, the plan was to take the tube and head over to London. But R got held up at the office with work that he just couldn’t postpone. He called up to say the London pub-hopping plan will not work out, but we’ll go out somewhere in town once he’s back.
We headed to the South Downs National Park, Worthing. The plan was me playing muse for my husband, who played the photographer before it gets dark and then head over to a pleasant restaurant for a quiet dinner.
There was not a soul in the huge, breathtaking park, which we had all to ourselves now. After our nearly hour-long photo session, I told my husband how I wanted to get fitter and stronger in the coming years. Mainly, after seeing how my mum prioritised everyone else before herself and how that took a serious toll on her health. Her being affected by cancer was a huge wake-up for me to break my over-giving ways too and put my health back on focus and track. And two, I told him how there’s so much more to see in life now, and I want to explore it all with him. How I see us being that old but healthy, adventurous couple going here, there, and everywhere without a care or problem!
While I was saying all this, an old lady walked in and asked us where the event was happening and was it was over. My husband and I looked at each other, puzzled, and asked her what she was talking about. She looked excited and said how it was the Summer Solstice, and she joined in the celebrations and watch the setting sun. We didn’t even know it was the Summer Solstice that day. We told her how we just came from the park and there was no one there and no event for sure. She smiled and said it’s usually on the other side and pointed towards the mountains and said it’ll be quite a walk. Then, she asked us if we wanted to join and seeing her excitement, something told us we should. And so, the three of us headed to the other side of the mountains.
While walking together, she told us how she was a 78-year-old asthmatic woman. My husband and I looked at each other as I was asthmatic too, and we were talking about health. She walked a bit before holding on hard for breath. She asked us if we could wait awhile, but could proceed if we wanted to. We stayed until she caught her breath. She smiled at us and told us a bit about her life, how she was content staying near her daughter and family.
When I asked her if wished she were younger, she said “No way! I love being my age. I feel bad for those younger, she laughed. “Thank God! I’m out of that phase. It’s such a puzzling, tough time for the youngsters.” She said she was so glad to be past all that, and be the age she is right now. “It’s fantastic being 78 years, you know.” Now, she started taking brisk steps in her earnestness of catching the setting sun.
We kept talking along the way, while my husband and I continued exchanging glances at the bizarreness of it all. Here I was talking about my health in the older years, and an older lady sharing my exact medical concerns appeared right in front of us, hiking a mountain on her own. Like a boss at 78 years old! Happy in her skin and age. Was I looking at the ‘future me’? Only time will tell and I’m in no rush! I want life to move in as slow motion as possible from hereon.
We started hearing music, and loud sounds of celebrations – cheering, singing, foot thumping and more. It was a party up in the mountains. The lady split from us and went and joined in the celebrations while we watched as spectators.
We were also just in time to spot the setting sun and the official start of the Summer Solstice.
As we hugged each other and looked into each other’s eyes, my husband and I agreed this was so much better than our original plan of London pub-hopping at night. We then headed out to a nice restaurant for that quiet dinner together as planned.
Lesson: When things don’t work out the way you planned, trust God to bring forth something way better your way.
