The Beginning of our Adventure: Hadrian's Wall

As we drove home yesterday it was fun to feel like we were coming home as the Scottish landscape came into view. The last two weeks have been full of adventure... so get ready - here come the photos!

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Day 1: Hadrian's Wall

We decided a week before our trip to leave a day early and visit Hadrian's Wall. Jonah and I had been reading about the celts in several books including "The Celts" from the Usborne Beginners Series. It was wonderful to see the wall we've been learning so much about.

80 miles across the north of England, Hadrian's wall took three legions of soldiers six years to complete. It is impressive snaking its way across the fields.

It is exciting to see Jonah growing his historical time line. There is such a depth to history when you are living in a country that has walls built thousands of years ago. I mentioned to Jonah that the wall was built soon after Jesus' life time and he said "that makes sense - it was the Roman's who killed Jesus too." It is so encouraging to see him making connections from the Biblical Story to the more general historical story. I hope that this understanding will help him see his own story in this larger context.

Jim reminded me of this quote when we were talking about this the other day and I think it sums up the importance of a historical view of the world... [emphasis mine]

Man is in his actions and practice, as well as in his fictions essentially a story-telling animal. He is not essentially, but becomes through history, a teller of stories that aspire to truth. But the key question for men is not about their own authorship; I can only answer the question ‘What am I to do?’ if I can answer the prior question ‘Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?'

- Alisdair MacIntyre