After Ever After

I've been thinking recently about what 'happily ever after' is supposed to look and feel like. I know the idea has been the concept of a few clever books and films - what does happen when the credits roll and the last chapter's words run off the last page?

Arriving on Rum felt like it was maybe supposed to be happily ever after for us. It felt as though the music should play and the picture slowly fade off the screen as we got on with our dream life, finally found after our big adventure and soul searching and interview on Rum and epic move up here.

Then it felt as though it should surely be the end after the mini sequel which was Getting The Static On To The Croft.

Maybe after the trilogy of Surviving Our First Winter. Even if Surviving Our Second Winter became part of the dvd bonus features on a second disc....

Recently we thought we may end up taking on a proper employed job. Ady and I would have shared the role, it was far from what we originally came here to do but the benefits and security would, we thought, outweigh the obvious compromises in terms of being away from the croft and the children and the stresses and commitments of what the post would entail. It was not to be. Which when you have spent several weeks convincing yourself into doing can be a bit tough to talk yourself back out of again.

There is something about Rum which pushes you to your absolute limits, like a jealous lover asking you to prove, over and over again that you really, really love them. Treating you cruelly just to challenge, to test, to ensure this is definitely what you want to do and where you want to do it. Just as you are on the very brink of deciding that actually this is not for you after all the sun breaks through, the blackberries ripen, kind and thoughtful words are said, new chicks are hatched in the old washing machine and a huge pod of dolphins swim close to the shore at ferry time, leaping out of the water and making a whole crowd of excited onlookers point, exclaim and cry out with delight and sheer joy and life.


I'm not always sure but I think this might be what happily ever after looks like.