This past weekend, as I do most every year, I spent some time at the Dublin Ohio Irish Festival. As we listened to one of the many rollicking Irish songs being played, I couldn’t help but think about the history of the Irish, and the way it’s captured in song. The lyrics speak of oppression, sadness, famine, etc., and yet the songs are so lively, fun and full of life. It’s a real contradiction, or is it?
Does Irish music not hold a deeper truth about life? That yes, it can be miserable at times, and we’ll have our share of suffering and pain, some of us more than others, but it can also be joyous, fun and full of love at the same time. There’s something to be said for a people who have suffered as much historically as the Irish, and yet continue to embrace and celebrate the good things in life. It’s a heritage I’ve come to embrace the last few years. Not just because it’s where I come from, but because it represents the hope I have for all survivors, that we’d have our pain and our suffering, and then come out the other side of healing and have plenty to celebrate. So, lift a pint, or whatever you fancy, and toast to the things that are worth celebrating in your own life!