Driving into the town of Oxford felt exciting. There was an air of familiarity I couldn’t place
My curiosity was piqued. What might I discover here?
I knew Oxford was a big college town being the home to one of the most prestigious schools in the UK from what my hosts mentioned about it, however, I didn’t expect it to feel quite so scholarly.
But in absolute transparency I’m not exactly sure what I expected.
We were in search of the parking garage that we found online which was in the restaurant we agreed to meet my client at and drove toward that area.
I noticed the streets were more compact with lots of foot traffic.
Oxford didn’t feel like a place I wanted to rush through. There was so much to take in, with buildings of all shapes and color lining both sides of the street. It felt interesting, needing to be explored slowly.
I didn’t want to notice the architecture; I wanted to take in the people who belonged here.
We found a spot in the Westgate Mall Garage. The exit brought us up into the mall which had a nice variety of shops all decked out for the Christmas holiday.
Upon seeing the decorations, it suddenly registered that everyone back home would be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. The festive atmosphere felt very uplifting.
When we reached the street, I noticed the restaurant we were meeting at, Compior Libanais, was located on Queen Street which made me giggle a bit. Queen was showing up a lot! We ate at the Queen of Cups in Glastonbury and then the idea of the Queen pulling up at the Billesly Manor in her carriage suddenly appeared in my mind and now the restaurant is also tied to Queen.
I kind of felt the “Queen for a day” vibe happening here. I think life is trying to tell me there’s only up from here.
I thought about it for a moment. The past has all my baggage. My only job right now was to have new experiences that would have me interacting with life in a whole new way.
And I was!
I was called back to the present when my client walked into the restaurant. Our first order of business was a nice warm hug which turned to pure joy in being able to connect this way.
We all took a seat and as we began chatting the waiter came over to take our order for tea which felt fitting since we left a grey, chilly overcast day outside for the moment.
It would be good to start with something warming.
I asked how her trip to Oxford was and she indicated she enjoyed the town, so it was nice to arrange to meet here.
We ordered our food and continued talking through our meal. I was enjoying getting to know her outside of Zoom, but this was different.
I was used to meeting people in person, that’s how I started my practice, many years ago. It was all there was back then.
And now I’m here, in England looking at my client sitting across from me. It’s so exciting to work with people around the world but now we’re not on Zoom, we are here together.
Live in person.
My mind is screaming “can you believe this???”
It didn’t seem real and yet it was. She had told me she wanted to meet in person and was willing to travel if my time in England allowed for it.
I looked around the restaurant taking it in. I felt humbled.
For a few moments, the conversation faded into the background. I was so excited I could barely focus.
Who am I right now? I deeply appreciated her willingness to connect with me in this way.
I let myself feel it and eventually came back to join the conversation.
We talked about her work as a yoga teacher, and a trip she was planning on taking to teach. I thought how wonderful to have access to so many countries so close in proximity. Although we have that in the states, each state isn’t so different from the next in the way countries are.
It was fun to hear about travel and everyone’s experiences abroad. I felt like I needed to catch up in that department. The last time I was anywhere outside of the states was in the late 1990’s when I went to Germany.
Oh, how I long for a nice adventure!
Lunch ended with a lot of laughs and dreams for good health and happiness in all our future. We hugged, and said our goodbyes going our separate ways.
I was excited to have this time to explore a little.
I wondered what magic Oxford had in store for me.
Once again there was no itinerary of what to see or where to go.
I Invited the feeling I was having of simply wandering about.
I didn’t want to rush.
There was so much to take in. I was like a kid in a candy shop looking at everything and everyone.
When we left the restaurant, we were on Queen Street, which as narrower than some of the other streets I saw driving into town. All the connecting streets appeared to be narrow. This is probably why all the cars are compact.
Even though there were cars driving up and down the streets there were people everywhere walking at an easy pace.
No rushing. Not them, not me.
I felt this deeply and it made me want to slow down even more and really take it all in.
I was interested in how everyone was dressed and played a game in my mind of who they might be and where they may be headed.
Some were clearly students and some appeared to be professionals who worked in the area. I’m sure there were also a good amount of those who were visiting the area like me.
We walked down the road, on the sidewalk. The fresh air and walk felt good to help with digestion. I ate more than I should have.
The cobbled road was lined with all kinds of buildings, some stores, some flats and others included little eateries and coffee and tea shops. The buildings were all different, all connected, in many shapes and sizes.
There was an old-world charm about Oxford that I really loved. I could see myself living here.
It felt like something out of Harry Potter.
And then I saw it!
The Oriel College with its coat of arms proudly displayed over two incredibly large wooden doors which served as the entrance to the college.
It felt old like writing was done with quill pens on parchment paper and important documents stamped with a wax seal.
I wondered what it was like to attend college there. It felt very familiar.
A little way down we ended up the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. It held a peace I can’t explain, like a place you could take refuge in.
I noticed there was a bike resting against the metal fence in front of a beautiful lush green courtyard. There was an ease about this spot.
I got a sense of welcoming here. It felt inviting in a way that contrasted with the gothic architecture and high arching-stained glass windows. This was a place I’d make a note to come back to. Something was stirring something deep inside me.
I’d never been one for church. I didn’t like the rules and structure, it always felt a bit stuffy to me, but this one hit different somehow.
As we walked on, we were suddenly in the presence of architecture that felt as though it popped right out of an ancient medieval academia movie set.
It didn’t feel real and yet it was.
The sign on the stone wall said we were standing in front of the University of Oxford. This school feels important in some way.
. 
Then as if right on cue, Professor McGonagall pops into my mind. It’s as if I stepped onto a Hogwarts set which felt fitting since nothing about this building felt real.
In that moment I had left Oxford and was standing in Hogsmead.
The only thing missing was my wand! Ha!
Mental note to self: Do Not return without wand.
We had walked a bit farther and came upon the Bodleian Library. This area was much livelier as students were rushing past probably heading for a class, they’d prefer not to be late for.
There was hustle bustle energy here that I didn’t feel anywhere else.
Maybe I just hadn’t noticed what was happening on the outside around me, I was busy with the reflection happening with in, lost somewhere between my feels and thoughts.
As I was having this awareness I realized we had turned a corner and were walking in a new direction that took us into a market area where vendors were setting up for the holiday season rush.
We stopped at a booth with beautiful handmade hats, scarves, and blankets. Then a thought stopped me in my tracks. I would love all of it, if I wasn’t heading to Florida where I wouldn’t need any of it. It’s only cold in the morning in the winter then warms up as the day progresses.
I realize my joy has always been the winter months back in Long Island which is why I felt at home here in England at this time of year, sweater weather!
And they know a thing or two about wool and sweaters here.
Ah why did I have to think of Florida again. It’s taunting me. I have a thought to just buy what I want. Normally I’d do that, but my logical self was saying it wouldn’t be practical to buy it and leave it in storage.
What if I get there and find I like Florida? A long shot, yes, but then what? Then I wouldn’t need these wooly items even though I know they make me profoundly happy, along with my boots, in some odd way.
I’m sad for a moment and then suddenly a thought pops in. Right now, while not practical I would have a great excuse to come back and visit Oxford again!
This feels true to me, and it seems to soothe me. Besides, if I really want a wool hat, gloves or blanket I could buy wool from anywhere in the UK and crochet my own. That would feel almost as satisfying for now.
Then of course I’ll book a trip back for some time in the distant future, around Christmas, and get my woolies. Ha!
Now I’m seeing the fun here. It’s an ebb and flow.
I love Oxford. It might be my favorite place so far. Maybe it’s my connection to all things paper, pens, pencils, books. I’m a book geek and where there’s books there’s paper.
I’m feeling content.
I think what I loved most is there was no rush.
No itinerary.
Oxford was very literary. Amazing architecture, and feelings of dark academia in a deeply atmospheric kind of way.
There’re layers here.
The ordinary feels other worldly and extraordinary in a very memorable way, a way I was not expecting but left myself open to.
I feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface and would love to come back to go deeper.
Oxford.
Charm.
Books.
Paper.
Harry Potter.
Although I don’t feel ready, it’s time to go.