Irish Eyes
Greetings and salutations from the sand, sun and surf of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and the great island of Nantucket! Great to be with you on this Thursday morning, the seventeenth day of March, 2011, or as the Irish call it, Saint Patrick’s Day! And a Happy one to all of my Irish brethren out there in New York City, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, Newport Beach, California, as well right here on little old Cape Cod, Massachusetts. May the sun always be shinin’ in your face, the wind at your back, and the road always rising to meet you! Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all, for on this day, everyone is Irish! I visited Ireland for the first time when I was a freshman attending college in England. I marveled at the depth of green, the many shades of green, on that beautiful island in the middle of the North Atlantic. The people are warm and friendly, as they tend to like American citizens a little more than the English, with each town offering another secret, concealed in the form of a Leprechaun. Many say Leprechauns do not exist, but I tend to think they just might, as one drifts back to the land of the shamrock and the misty, cool days with endless green hillsides carrying one along to a place that few, including me, never wanted to leave. I love Ireland, and it’s people and I will return soon. The St. Patty’s day parade is always held in Boston where, actually held in South Boston, the location of the event, as Boston has, perhaps, the largest Irish population in the United States next to New York City. Many years ago, when the Irish first arrived on these shores, they were not treated very nicely, in fact, there were many signs that read, “Irish need not apply.” Now, of course, that notion is ridiculous, and perhaps that fact gives us pause to look at our Muslim brothers and sisters living in this country today, who make up the 1.4 billion Muslims living in the world presently, with a little more sympathy, or at least empathy, if you, or any of your loved ones, have ever been treated less than what a human being should be treated like, respected and revered for being just another one of GOD’S children. To quote Sargent Hulka from the venerated classic film, ‘STRIPES’, starring Harold Ramis and Bill Murray, “We’re all in this together, one of these men may save your life someday,” with Bill adding, “then again, maybe they won’t.” That’s really the rub, is it not? May a little of the Irish LOVE rub off on the island nation of Japan today and see her people through what is perhaps one of the worst natural disasters in modern times, GOD’S SPEED to them all! Have a wonderful day folks and keep those Irish eyes a smilin’! PRESERVE THE WILDERNESS! Peace~M
