Commemoration Day at Glenalmond College. My feelings change. This used to be one of the moments when I felt a long way from former life .. less so now. But strangely, it also reminds me of childhood and my time at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen – I could see my father measuring out the athletics track with chains. As a special treat, I would be allowed to push the little machine with the wheels and the whitewash.
First challenge is to decide where to park the faithful Passat [163000 in case you were asking]. Clearly not among the flashier 4 by 4’s – some of this is a bit ‘Glyndebourne meets Hogwarts’. So I found a quiet corner among the cars of those who buy cars on the same time sequence as they buy tweeds.
The Commemoration Service is unchanged since 1936 – some pieces of the BCP Funeral Service as we remember OG’s of past generations. Chaplain Giles reminded me of one former pupil who ‘received a vocation to sacred ministry while on the cricket pitch.’ Which of course sent me into chapel pondering. Unlikely to have been batting .. too busy to take the call as Wicket Keeper. Probably fielding at Long Stop. At least the camera for the fly-on-the-wall documentary can’t read minds.
Then it was prizes and the College Song:
Rivorum, ruris, montium, Silvarum Domina …
I’m sure you don’t need help with translation.