Sunday, May 5, 2013

Bittersweet

With less than a month left to enjoy this wonderful country, I'm learning to savor every day as if its my last in England, enjoying each moment I may have otherwise overlooked. The other day we went for dinner at The Lion and the Lamb, a local pub with winding hallways and endless rooms, and a bathroom so narrow that when you wash your hands, the hand-dryer starts blowing on your bottom. I laughed behind the locked door, amused at the British-ness of the situation

Some days are easy to love, especially the days where the sun shines bright in the blue sky with a high of 15 degrees C (60 degrees F for those Americans reading). These days, the daffodils and tulips are blooming with brilliant vibrancy, coloring the hills along the old Roman walls yellowthe spring fever is putting everyone in a good mood. I took a walk through town the other day, enjoying the sun beaming down on my bare arms, and all around people walked with a skip in their step, laughing with genuine joy, and smiling honestly. Delivery men laughed with shop owners, hollering, "Good day to ya," and an elderly couple walked hand in hand, smiling at me like old friends.



But some days are harder to love, as papers and exams are piling up and the desire to be with family strengthens. Before the term, I was advised to work ahead on big projects so the stress of 10,000 words looming over my head would not ruin my last few weeks, but as most students do, I procrastinated, losing myself in the daily activities of English life that do not involve sitting behind a computer. I find it hard to sympathize with myself, so I won't whine.

The truth is, every day is not as fantastic as the pictures make it look. Yes, it is a dream and I thank God for this opportunity, but every week has at least one gloomy day, some more than others. Naturally, however. It's all natural. The gloomy days only make the enjoyable ones that much lovelier.