"Go back to England and tell them...Scotland is free." William Wallace
Scotland and Freedom
It seemed impossible not to think about freedom and liberty during our visit to Scotland. At Edinburgh Castle there are statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce flanking the entrance to the castle. Both are national heroes of Scotland because of their leadership in the fight against English tyranny in the 1200's and 1300's AD. William Wallace, you may recall, was portrayed in the movie Braveheart, who paid the ultimate price by being brutally executed at the hands of the English.
(more thoughts below)
Freedom and Tyranny Have Many Dimensions
We also visited the Wallace Monument near Stirling, Scotland, where we had an interesting discussion with a man from San Francisco. We were visiting with him about travel, life, and work when he made a curious statement, mostly in regards to work. "As long as we are okay with it in here", he said pointing towards his heart. Somehow his words transcended the moment, notably because we were at a monument dedicated to freedom. His statement caused me to pause and reflect...
Am I at peace in my heart about how I spend my days? My work? None of us are getting any younger, and if we aren't passionate about what we do, if we are afraid to do the things we are called or made to do, which may require risk, then I believe we can live under a sort of self-imposed tyranny and not really free; not really living. Perhaps that is what led William Wallace to say:
"Every man dies, not every man really lives"
And the Psalmist to write:
"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" Psalm 90:12
Are you passionate about your work and life? How do you handle fear and risk?
The Universal Yearning for Freedom
As an American, these topics of liberty and freedom in Scotland resonated with me. I love this excerpt from our Declaration of Independence:
"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"
Interestingly, I found the following quote in my passport, which seemed to parallel the themes discussed herein:
"It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win." John Paul Jones, naval commander, Revolutionary War.
Risk is scary, because we stand to lose something. There were Scots in Wallace's day who would not fight because they feared losing their land, possessions, or lives. Wallace risked it all and paid with his life, but he also inspired a nation and his legacy endures to this day. He was a man who "really lived".
Risk for you and I may not mean facing a physical battlefield, but perhaps stepping out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. It could be starting a new business or job, going back to college, pursuing your dreams, pursuing happiness.
Spiritual Freedom and Tyranny
How did Wallace develop his deep convictions about freedom? I believe they came at least in part from his Christian faith in the Creator who endows these Rights. Wallace was educated by his uncle, the priest of Dunipace. In his studies he undoubtedly was influenced by the Bible, in which freedom is a common theme. Does that surprise you? For example:
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus Christ (John 8:32)
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"
Apostle Paul (Galatians 5:1)
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there the heart is free"
Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 3:17)
[Christ] "stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets." [Therefore], "because of [the] Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do...it is what God is doing...Apostle Paul (Colossians 2:15; Galatians 6:15, The MSG)
Why should I fear if God calls me into the unknown, to follow the dreams in my heart, dreams that were placed there by Him? Where failure seems possible and the price could be high? Why am I too often paralyzed by what others think about me? Clearly there is more to unpack here than there is space in this post, such as how to discern what God may truly be calling you and me to do in our lives. Though I still sometimes fear, I also know the Lord is near, and I'm both challenged and encouraged by my faith.
Turfgrass
So what does all of this have to do with turfgrass (as indicated in the title of this post)? Well, as my turfgrass colleagues know, golf originated in Scotland. And Jannis and I were fortunate enough to visit the Old Course at St. Andrews, which is the oldest golf course still in existence today.
Actually, the main reason we were in the UK was to attend the European Turfgrass Society Conference. There were many excellent presentations by turfgrass scientists from around Europe and also the US. Thanks to Drs. Stewart Brown, Claudia de Bertoldi, and Bernd Leinauer for organizing and coordinating this event! Thanks also to the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) for partially funding my research presented at, and my travel to the conference.
Below is a video and a few other photos from our visit to Scotland. The video was taken outside the gates of Hollyrood Palace in Edinburgh, where we happened to stumble across the Royal Regiment of Scotland. They were entering the grounds to honor the Queen, who was in residence while we were there. It was amazing!
My wife and I recently visited Scotland and England. Here are a few photos and thoughts from our journey...
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| Edinburgh Castle, an imposing sight from the streets of the city. |
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| Statue of William Wallace, flanking one side of the entrance gate to Edinburgh Castle along with Robert the Bruce on the other (not shown here, but can be seen at a distance in the picture immediately below). |
Scotland and Freedom
It seemed impossible not to think about freedom and liberty during our visit to Scotland. At Edinburgh Castle there are statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce flanking the entrance to the castle. Both are national heroes of Scotland because of their leadership in the fight against English tyranny in the 1200's and 1300's AD. William Wallace, you may recall, was portrayed in the movie Braveheart, who paid the ultimate price by being brutally executed at the hands of the English.
(more thoughts below)
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| My wife Jannis standing before the arched entrance of Edinburgh Castle. Statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce can be seen on either side of the archway entrance to the castle. |
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| View of the city of Edinburgh from Edinburgh Castle. |
Freedom and Tyranny Have Many Dimensions
We also visited the Wallace Monument near Stirling, Scotland, where we had an interesting discussion with a man from San Francisco. We were visiting with him about travel, life, and work when he made a curious statement, mostly in regards to work. "As long as we are okay with it in here", he said pointing towards his heart. Somehow his words transcended the moment, notably because we were at a monument dedicated to freedom. His statement caused me to pause and reflect...
Am I at peace in my heart about how I spend my days? My work? None of us are getting any younger, and if we aren't passionate about what we do, if we are afraid to do the things we are called or made to do, which may require risk, then I believe we can live under a sort of self-imposed tyranny and not really free; not really living. Perhaps that is what led William Wallace to say:
"Every man dies, not every man really lives"
And the Psalmist to write:
"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" Psalm 90:12
Are you passionate about your work and life? How do you handle fear and risk?
 |
| The view west from Abbey Craig, the site of the Wallace Monument, towards the city of Stirling, Stirling castle, and the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge (see below for details). Courage and risk in the face of fear was required by the Scots who fought against the odds in this battle to gain freedom for their people. |
The Universal Yearning for Freedom
As an American, these topics of liberty and freedom in Scotland resonated with me. I love this excerpt from our Declaration of Independence:
"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"
Interestingly, I found the following quote in my passport, which seemed to parallel the themes discussed herein:
"It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win." John Paul Jones, naval commander, Revolutionary War.
Risk is scary, because we stand to lose something. There were Scots in Wallace's day who would not fight because they feared losing their land, possessions, or lives. Wallace risked it all and paid with his life, but he also inspired a nation and his legacy endures to this day. He was a man who "really lived".
Risk for you and I may not mean facing a physical battlefield, but perhaps stepping out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. It could be starting a new business or job, going back to college, pursuing your dreams, pursuing happiness.
 |
| Jannis by Hadrian's
Wall at Birdoswald Roman Fort, UK. The wall was built by Emperor Hadrian in 122 AD, who apparently decided it was better to try to keep the Scots out of the Roman Empire than fight them! The Scots enjoyed their freedom, even 2000 years ago! |
Spiritual Freedom and Tyranny
How did Wallace develop his deep convictions about freedom? I believe they came at least in part from his Christian faith in the Creator who endows these Rights. Wallace was educated by his uncle, the priest of Dunipace. In his studies he undoubtedly was influenced by the Bible, in which freedom is a common theme. Does that surprise you? For example:
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus Christ (John 8:32)
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"
Apostle Paul (Galatians 5:1)
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there the heart is free"
Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 3:17)
[Christ] "stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets." [Therefore], "because of [the] Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do...it is what God is doing...Apostle Paul (Colossians 2:15; Galatians 6:15, The MSG)
Why should I fear if God calls me into the unknown, to follow the dreams in my heart, dreams that were placed there by Him? Where failure seems possible and the price could be high? Why am I too often paralyzed by what others think about me? Clearly there is more to unpack here than there is space in this post, such as how to discern what God may truly be calling you and me to do in our lives. Though I still sometimes fear, I also know the Lord is near, and I'm both challenged and encouraged by my faith.
 |
| St. Margaret was an English
Princess, a Scottish Queen, and a pious Christian who undoubtedly knew about the freedom taught in the Bible. This stained glass panel is in St. Margaret's Chapel, Edinburgh's oldest existing building (it is located in Edinburgh castle), probably built in the early 12th Century. |
Turfgrass
So what does all of this have to do with turfgrass (as indicated in the title of this post)? Well, as my turfgrass colleagues know, golf originated in Scotland. And Jannis and I were fortunate enough to visit the Old Course at St. Andrews, which is the oldest golf course still in existence today.
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| Me at the Old Course! |
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| Jannis and I at the Swilkan Bridge, between the 1st and 18th fairways at the Old Course. |
Actually, the main reason we were in the UK was to attend the European Turfgrass Society Conference. There were many excellent presentations by turfgrass scientists from around Europe and also the US. Thanks to Drs. Stewart Brown, Claudia de Bertoldi, and Bernd Leinauer for organizing and coordinating this event! Thanks also to the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) for partially funding my research presented at, and my travel to the conference.
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| You can tell this is a bunch of turfgrass enthusiasts since they are down inspecting the turf, here at Manchester City Stadium! |
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| Attendees of the European Turfgrass Society conference at Campey Turf Care Systems Headquarters, near Manchester. |
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| Dr. Christian Spring, research operations manager at the STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute) at Bingley, UK, explaining their research plots. |
Below is a video and a few other photos from our visit to Scotland. The video was taken outside the gates of Hollyrood Palace in Edinburgh, where we happened to stumble across the Royal Regiment of Scotland. They were entering the grounds to honor the Queen, who was in residence while we were there. It was amazing!
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| The sun sets late this far north; sunset after 10 pm and sunrise at 4:30 am. Twilight never stops. This is Portobello Beach, near Portobello, a coastal suburb of Edinburgh. |
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| Ruins of the 12th century St. Andrews Cathedral, once the largest cathedral in Scotland. St Rule's tower is the tall structure to the right, which predates the cathedral. Visitors can climb the stairs for a great view of St. Andrews and surroundings. |
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| West Sands Beach, beside St. Andrews Golf Course, stretches for almost 2 miles. This where a famous scene from the movie "Chariots of Fire" was filmed, where Olympian Eric Liddell ran along the beach. Eric was a devout Christian who said "when I run, I feel His (God's) pleasure". I could almost hear the theme song from the movie "run" through my mind as we strolled the beach. It is beautiful! |
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| The Scottish countryside is beautiful. This is in the lowlands, southwest of Edinburgh. |
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| Broomhall Castle, at Menstrie, which is near Stirling, Scotland. We stayed for one night. It was a fun experience! |
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| We flew via Icelandair, landing at Keflavik, Iceland, on our way to and from the UK. This was the view out the window as we were descending to land in Iceland. |
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| Finally, this is northeastern Canada, with ice floating offshore in the ocean (left). We also flew over Greenland, which had many snow-covered peaks, too. I think it would be fun to visit some of these remote places someday! |
