Yesterday we dipped happily again into the Tudor history of England - I had forgotten how close all our colourful and varied history is and how much of it is preserved here. We went to an ancient house called Buckland Abbey in Devon - originally in the 1200s a monastery, then owned in the 1600s by Sir Francis Drake (an explorer, naval captain, friend and defender of Elizabeth I, victor over the Spanish Armada, first circumnavigator of the globe, treasure-seeker, bowls-player). Now it is owned by the National Trust and is full of Tudor furniture and artefacts and is beautiful.
On the way into the Abbey, there were various panels depicting some of its history.
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| This is Abigail dressed in Tudor clothes, in front of a portrait of Sir Francis Drake. |
One of them described the original function of the place as a Cistercian monastery, with the words: "The monks lived here a life of peace, discipline and dedication."
Those words flowed through my soul and body like warm oil, or, like a long soothing sip of hot tea...
oh, to have our home be a place of "peace, discipline and dedication"...
I mentioned this to Abby, Alex and my Mum who were standing with me, and we all just laughed. OK, we all know which of us would have the most trouble with "peace" (Alex, our real boy) but I have to admit that the "discipline" would be hardest for me, not least the getting up at 2.00 am for prayers...
Coming back home this evening, I have been surveying our cosy, untidy home with a new eye. I could look at it as a place that badly needs organising, cleaning up, and hoovering. I could wish that the TV wasn't yakkering on with the Olympics every minute right now, and that Alex would be a bit quieter and more relaxed, and that it was all peaceful and clean... but then again, I was not called to live in a monastery after all, I am a mother of two fun, energetic and creative children and wife of a husband, ditto. I am happy with that, and I love our home.
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