My Mull Of Kintyre

Hello Humans! I know I was really bad at posting over my Christmas Break, and the few weeks leading up to it, which were filled with studying and finals. But I'm back now. One of my favorite songs by Sir Paul McCartney is "Mull of Kintyre." It has this gorgeous acoustic guitar, heart-moving lyrics, and beautiful bagpipes. Paul originally wrote it as a tribute to the place in Scotland where he wrote and recorded most of "London Town," an album by Paul and Wings. It goes as follows, "Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here, oh Mull of Kintyre. Far have I traveled and much have I seen. Dark distant mountains with valleys of green. Past-painted deserts the sun sets on fire as they carry me home to the Mull of Kintyre. Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here, oh Mull of Kintyre. Sweep through the heather like deer in the glen. Carry me back to the days I knew then. Nights when we sang like heavenly choir of the life and the times of the Mull of Kintyre. Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here, oh Mull of Kintyre. Smiles in the sunshine and tears in the rain. Still take me back where my memories remain. Flickering embers grow higher and higher as they carry me back to the Mull of Kintyre. Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here, oh Mull of Kintyre. Mull of Kintyre, oh mist rolling in from the sea. My desire is always to be here, oh Mull of Kintyre."

I always thought that this song was about a specific place. But the more and more I grow up, the more and more I realize that my Mull of Kintyre isn't a specific place, but a specific mind-set. And I've been out of it the past few weeks. Pretty much ever since I went home for Christmas Break, I wasn't myself. Being mean to my family and others, not speaking in kind words, and not sticking to the traits I have worked hard to develop over the past few months here on the Island. All because I was afraid. I was afraid that my family would reject me and the new views I had on life, the new things I love and did, and the new way I acted and talked. I became angry and sad inside, faking my happiness a lot of the time. It didn't feel good, but I didn't change it. I realize it now. So back to practicing the things I have learned and back to the person I have grown to become. I am not putting out the fact that I am very smart and am very independent, but am saying that I can express those things in better and kinder ways. So that's my Mull of Kintyre. It's not any place on the map of the world, although I have labeled many places over the years as my "Mull of Kintyre." But now I am placing the dot of my final and everlasting Mull of Kintyre. It's inside me. It's the peace I find within me, the ideas forming within me, and the fire glowing within me.

I found my Mull of Kintyre again, for the first time in about a month, today. I found it extremely difficult, as it was when I stepped onto my yoga mat for the first time in over a year and a half. It's something that I've wanted and needed to get back into, but just haven't. I haven't due to internal excuses such as forgetfulness, laziness, and self-doubt. Stepping onto the mat was the hardest part, or so I thought until I started into the Yoga video I chose for today. I didn't even get half-way through and I was shaking, due to my muscles not being used in that way for so long. So, I then did a cool-down back into Child's Pose, and stayed there for a few minutes, focusing on my breathing. My body did amaze me in the way that it could still hold most of the poses, and was still as flexible as when I last left it. I will continue to do that same Yoga video for the next few days, repeating it until I can do it all the way through, and get the poses right. But I am setting a new goal, to do Yoga every day, along with my 5 minute meditation in the morning when I wake up, and at night when I go to sleep. This will hopefully expedite my path back to my Mull of Kintyre, and help me stay there as I will venture home in 4 short months.