Today's Tell Us Your Story piece is from Gordon Warren: My Story
I was born in Northumberland to English parents, but do have a Scottish maternal grandmother who lived in Blantyre and was a Hunter by birth. So, I guess I can wear the Hunter tartan, and I do.
I moved to the Highlands when I was 24 and have lived here ever since, I have no intention of moving. I am now in my 71st year and feel like I belong here.
There are others that don’t think I should and will always regard me as not belonging in Scotland at all and should not have an opinion on Scottish independence never mind a vote.
My first wife was English and I have three daughters one born in Co Durham, one in Derby and one in Thurso, Caithness. Two of my daughters still live in Scotland. Does that mean two are English and one is Scottish or two Scottish and one English?
My second wife is from Carnoustie and we have been together for some 36 years. She was originally married to a Scottish man and has four children all born in Scotland. My step daughter was married to an English man and had three sons two were born in Germany and one in Scotland. Two live in Scotland and one in England.
My wife and I own the property we live in and have no properties in England.
My point in all of this is that we are quite a mixed bunch of so called nationalities but all seem quite happy in our lives.
I am a retired person and I have a mix of pensions, the main one is from an English based company, some investments, which are a mix of English and Scottish based companies and the state pension.
My bank accounts are held in what is currently an English based company with Spanish parentage.
What complications would be manifested if Scotland became independent, things are bad enough with Brexit.
I have no problem with national identity and being recognised as English or my wife being Scottish and our mix of children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren whatever nationality they may be tagged with.
Does Scotland not have lots of national identification recognised throughout the world?
What is this fixation about Westminster rule and blaming them for everything that goes wrong?
It is interesting to see who is getting the blame for the devolved aspects that are going wrong as there seems to be a lot of people who don’t realise the control has been devolved to Holyrood. Some seem to be more than happy with control from Brussels rather than Westminster?
There are also a lot of people who identify as Scottish, do not live in Scotland, do not pay and taxes in Scotland and think they have the right to demand independence for Scotland.
Are we not all a 'mongrel' race with all sorts of inherited ancestry and are not boarders a relatively new concept in the history of this planet. The more united the world is the safer the world is, we only have a short time to live and I feel there are more important things to concern ourselves with.
Let us stay united and strong and stop the fighting over nothing that is real and is likely to cause more trouble for us all.
Thank you for reading my short story.
Gordon Warren