Today, I have to bow to pop culture and admit that one of my dreamiest dreams is to spend a day [any day, really, but St. P's would be the creme de la creme] in the land of green clovers and luck and pots 'o gold!
I read recently that this day is a bit more subdued, humbled, and religious in Ireland than it is in the US. We tend to be good at that -- taking other cultures' "days" and using them as excuses to drink. Cinco de Mayo being another. I'm not complaining. Yay, 'Merica!
Interestingly [and as is typical] our American forefather were not always so keen on this whole green beer day. In the wake of the Great Potato Famine and hordes of Irish immigrants pouring into the land of the free and the brave, "When Irish Americans in the country's cities took to the streets on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys." Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself on TheHistoryChannel.com.
Now, I may be a day late and a dollar short for any St. Pat's celebrating, but I will be visiting Ireland in May!
[pause to appreciate the enormity of that statement]
I'll be kissing Blarney Stones and popping into pubs and generally just having a gay old time. When I was young, my mom collected Irish Drinking Songs on cd and we blared them on the stereo while we played in the yard. My great-grandma's maiden name was Sullivan. Ireland is imperative.
I know that several of my dreams relate to travel, and I am a-okay with it. I'll get to check this one off the list when May 14th rolls around! Literally, a dream come true!
Do you recommend any particular sight-seeing while I'm there?
[other than the Irish fellas, that is. I've got that one covered]
I know it is more traditional to "give up" something during Lent. I guess you could say I'll be "giving up" reality for just a little bit. The next 40 days (and posts) are dedicated to dreams. So we're giving up limitations, fear, uncertainty.... and allowing ourselves to dream no matter how wild or crazy or out-of-this-world that dream might be!
40 Days of Dreams
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