Memory’s Reward

It’s been over three years now since I crossed the pond. So much has changed; so many wonderful experiences. Some of my favourites are when my family come to visit. We always go somewhere new and these visits are rewards in and of themselves.

The first year, they came in May. Mum crossed the pond herself over fifty years ago, from Canada to work. One of her desires while here was to see the bluebells in May. She’d been reading about them all her life. As it turned out (and personally, I’m just as glad) she returned much earlier than anticipated and never did get to see them. One of the first things I did was take her to Nanpantan Wood, near Loughborough in Leicestershire, to see the bluebells.

Whether or not it was built around the time of Stonehenge, or somewhat later in time, Woodhenge is a magical place. There was a sense of the sacred as we walked between the concrete pillars that mark where the wood once stood. At its centre is a small stone cairn that marks the burial place of a teenaged child. Since its discovery back in the 1920s, people have cared for it, left small rewards for the child that lies there.

He’d always wanted to see the White Cliffs of Dover, so on our first road trip, we took them to Dover. They are quite remarkable and it was wonderful to see both their faces wreathed in smiles at the beauty. A reward of love, sharing this together.

We had been out to Rye Nature Reserve and were on our way back to Rye when we saw Rye Harbour Church. It is unique in design and the graveyard was glorious with overgrowth and sunshine. We had to stop.

We spent a marvelous afternoon exploring Rye together, during part of which my sweetheart and I stole a few moments on our own climbing the bell tower on the Church of St Mary. At the top was our reward.

Winchelsea, was of strategic importance by virtue of its location to Hastings, one of the five towns that joined forces and formed the Cinque Ports.  In time, this Confederation became the foundation of the Royal Navy, and Winchelsea was rewarded with the status accorded an important town. The Church at Winchelsea was begun about 1,100 years ago by Edward I who recognised the importance of the town. Work had not yet been completed, however, when the Hundred Years War began and work stopped altogether afterward. Enough of the Church of St Thomas the Martyr was constructed that to this day, it is an important part of life in the town. The weekend we all spent together there was wonderful; the reward of friendship, family and love.

 I hope you found my sojourn into the rewards of memories … well … rewarding.

To reap more Rewards, go to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Reward.”