My dear Friends
Thirty years ago I would have been singing the following: I belong to Glasgow, dear old Glasgow town, there's nothing the matter with Glasgow, for it's going round and round!' Except of course it would have been in a Glasgow accent!
The reason for all this preamble is that I am going to Glasgow for a week in mid November, dreich and all as that will be weatherwise. I left Glasgow thirty years ago to come to Cambridge. I had all my formative years there, from an eleven year old child, through my wild (and it was wild) youth, out the other end, taking singing lessons and coming to Cambridge, where I have been ever since, give or take a yearning or two to go to Toronto or Jerusalem.
But Scotland, and especially Glasgow, forms part of my inner landscape. My mother was born there, my maternal grandfather founded the oldest Synagogue there and I went to school there. I love my life in Cambridge, I am able to feel really free here, but I will never forget those years when a close friend and I walked for fifteen years in the Highland landscape, with those amazing remote deer forests.
Did you know that Glasgow used to have trams? I am sure that I travelled on the last one through Sauchiehall Street when I was about twelve. I am really going to see my relatives, mainly cousins, to whom I am very close. One of them became a Christian before me and she prayed my way into the Church. The other one is the matriarch of a great tribe and many of those children I have never seen.
But I have good friends too -I have known Kelda, musician and artist for thirty five years and we have much in common. So lots to look forward to. More next time-have you ever been to Glasgow?
Shalom from Gila
Thirty years ago I would have been singing the following: I belong to Glasgow, dear old Glasgow town, there's nothing the matter with Glasgow, for it's going round and round!' Except of course it would have been in a Glasgow accent!
The reason for all this preamble is that I am going to Glasgow for a week in mid November, dreich and all as that will be weatherwise. I left Glasgow thirty years ago to come to Cambridge. I had all my formative years there, from an eleven year old child, through my wild (and it was wild) youth, out the other end, taking singing lessons and coming to Cambridge, where I have been ever since, give or take a yearning or two to go to Toronto or Jerusalem.
But Scotland, and especially Glasgow, forms part of my inner landscape. My mother was born there, my maternal grandfather founded the oldest Synagogue there and I went to school there. I love my life in Cambridge, I am able to feel really free here, but I will never forget those years when a close friend and I walked for fifteen years in the Highland landscape, with those amazing remote deer forests.
Did you know that Glasgow used to have trams? I am sure that I travelled on the last one through Sauchiehall Street when I was about twelve. I am really going to see my relatives, mainly cousins, to whom I am very close. One of them became a Christian before me and she prayed my way into the Church. The other one is the matriarch of a great tribe and many of those children I have never seen.
But I have good friends too -I have known Kelda, musician and artist for thirty five years and we have much in common. So lots to look forward to. More next time-have you ever been to Glasgow?
Shalom from Gila
1 comment:
Yes I used to ride on the trams in Glasgow!!! Also went UNDER the Clyde. Take care. B
Post a Comment