Ireland

Posted by Marci on Dec 2, 2010 in | 0 comments

Jagged rocks pointed up from the grassy field covered in yellow bushes, as herds moved across the grazing ground, their bells ringing in the air. I climbed the stone walls being careful not to disturb the ancient property lines as I made my way to the Cliffs of Moher.

A blast of ocean air whipped against my face as I came closer to the rocky edge. I pushed against the force, my body leaned at a forty-five degree angle. I turned my back to the ocean and allowed the wind to take me. It lifted my feet and for a moment, I felt like a kite.

I turned and fought my way towards the cliffs. Far below, the waves crashed against the mossy rocks. I climbed down to a ledge and mist sprinkled my cheeks with salt.

A dark gray cloud moved across the sky, and sheets of rain fell in the distance – the grand ingredient in the recipe of Ireland’s beauty. Somehow in this place of constant dark, foggy days the people retain a spirit of joy and fun. Maybe it’s the plentiful pubs that welcome them to sit and tell stories. Or it could be the rich Guinness beef stew that keeps their bones warm. The abundance of greenery and plentiful flowers that cover the storybook countryside, where castles rise up and Celtic ruins still speak of their past, may inspire a beauty of the soul.

In my mind I could hear the music from the pub the night before where I’d lifted my glass as the Irish singers sang Whiskey in a Jar, and I swayed to the rhythm of the crowd.

I believe that all this contributes to the camaraderie you feel in Ireland, but it is the attitude they carry about life that is their true secret. As one man so eloquently put it, “You have all this fuss about time….where you will be tomorrow, what has happened in the past, what you will do next. Me, I have only one hour where you have twenty-four. I have today and this moment I live within. I might as well enjoy it.”

Lovely advice, especially when you’re surrounded by such incredible beauty.