Not so very long ago I posted a quote from the book I am currently rereading.
An Englishman thinks a hundred miles is a long way; and American thinks a hundred years is a long time
From Diana Gabaldon’s book DRUMS OF AUTUMN.
While I don’t get to talk to many Englishmen to say I know how they really feel on the subject, I can say that it holds true for me as an American. I am not speaking for all Americans, that is the trouble with generalizations like this: somewhere there’s a handful that are the exception 🙂
Anyway, back to my musings. I was a child of divorce. During elementary my Father (who had custody of me) moved 4 hours away from my Mother. So for the lengthy school vacations when I would have visitation with my Mom, I had to endure a 4 hour car ride on the way there, and again on the way back. This, along with the fact my Dad had been a truck driver for sometime, I think has led me to a rather skewed perception on distance. Oh it’ll take 2 hours just to get to that mall that has the store I want to go to? NO PROBLEM! A 45 minute drive one-way to work? Easy! Also, my obviously inherited navigational skills and those long car trips have really helped me when I became a driver myself. Even when lost, I can keep relatively calm because I know that you can never be truly lost. Somehow you can make enough turns to get back to a place/road you recognize and continue on with your travels. Hey, sometimes taking a wrong turn can lead to a great adventure. Who knew this wonderful little ice cream shop was over here?
Meandering Melissa 
I love this quote, and I can definitely confirm the bit about the Englishmen. It became somewhat of an icebreaker for me when I served on a NATO base in Afghanistan: “How far would you drive for a pint, a concert, just to get away,” etc. When we lived near the Adirondacks, we would drive three hours to enjoy a beautiful thirty-minute hike.
As for the other bit, well, sadly, it’s really obvious. Our fellow Americans will spend weeks planning a vacation they cannot afford, but they leave their financial future—their financial kingdom completely to chance. Maybe when we have a few millennia behind us we will be focused on building a lasting future like our friends across the water.
How is the rest of that book?
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I bet that icebreaker led for very interesting conversations! I do get the point about the vacations, though I have never taken one I see lots of my neighbors/relatives/friends take lavish ones.
The book is wonderful! It’s my favorite series, though I can’t pick a favorite book in the series… yet.
The main characters find themselves in America on the verge of what will be the American Revolution. It’s so interesting to read about the young America. Claire is a healer so there’s lots of medicinal plant uses/knowledge thrown in, and her daughter Bree is living in America 200 years later, but will read something to make her time travel to try to save her mother and father. 🙂 Very good historical fiction/sci-fi/romance!
Thanks for your input!
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