Ian Houston

As America goes to the polls, there's one real question voters need to ask themselves

Resting regally on the coast of Southern California in Long Beach is an extraordinary Scottish work of art and masterpiece of engineering. It is by far the largest work of skilled craftsmanship in the United States that hails from Glasgow – a brilliant floating statue in America forged from the hardened hands and creative minds of industrious Scots. It is more than a moored ship in a harbour, it is a beautiful expression of what Scottish innovation, engineering, and construction has produced. It is a crowning jewel of achievement for Glasgow, it is the regal RMS Queen Mary.

Connie Christopher radiates a wisdom rooted in her decades of owning and managing a Virginia equestrian facility with her family. To speak with her is to engage with a resilient woman who has faithfully committed her life and talents to delivering joy to countless young people, their families, and the horses.

Brechin was devastated by Storm Babet and the Scottish community around the world has stepped up to help

The pulse of New York City throbs with the vigour of a race horse in full gallop. I saddled up long ago to ride that dynamism, and the journey has transported me to many places within myself. While I am now inclined to places that trot, I still feel invigorated by the lessons New York teaches me.

While immigration and migration are genuine policy challenges that require reform and substantive bi-partisan solutions, placing blame on the shoulders of the vulnerable for political gain is not representative of a compassionate society.

On a recent Sunday morning I moved through the streets of one of America’s most striking cities, San Francisco. The city takes its name from St. Francis of Assisi who was an exemplar of kindness, wisdom, and care for others. My destination was the historic Third Baptist Church which is the city’s oldest African-American church. It was there that I was to meet Dr. Amos Brown who, like St. Francis, is the embodiment of service to others, insight, and compassion.

The Japanese World War II Weihsien Internment Camp in Central China was a demoralising place marked by harsh and unsanitary conditions. From 1942 to 1945, the invading Japanese forces held over 2,000 expatriates there, including more than 300 children, from the United States, Britain, Canada and other countries. Amidst the camp’s gloom and human misery, a golden light of goodness flickered in the peaceful presence of a Chinese born Scotsman. His name was Eric Liddell.

In 1963, 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, patience was rightfully running thin for African Americans. For its credibility as a nation erected upon collective human liberty, America desperately needed to usher in a new era of progress for equality and justice for all.

I often consider you, reader, and your time of stopping for a moment to review my thoughts. How I wish we were face to face, sharing ideas and a laugh, exchanging stories together at this special season. While we may be strangers detached by a vast ocean, we do share much in common, and we jointly sail the same seas of life. We are both fortunate to have people around us that uplift and remind us of our worth when doubt seeps in or challenges arise.