I have a friend who's a lovable curmudgeon, and he tends to be very grumpy about St. Patrick's Day. He thinks it's a divisive holiday that separates the Irish from everybody else. I've tried to tell him that it's not that way, but he'll have none of it. I really hope that there aren't many who feel that way...judging by how crowded the bars are on St. Paddy's Day, I don't think there are.
Personally, I enjoy all the diversity. I love learning about and celebrating cultural differences. Enjoy the party! Cinco de Mayo? ¡Naturalmente!...even though I have no Latino blood in me at all. Purim? L'Chaim! See, it's the celebration of all the cultures that makes life such a rich mosaic. To bust out the classic Star Trek reference (and who doesn't love those?), it's IDIC—Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination. As mentioned in my previous post, there is great wisdom in SciFi!
There is also great wisdom in many ancient traditions. And one of the pillars of Celtic wisdom was hospitality. It was assumed that if one was traveling, one could stop at a home along the way and get a meal and a place to sleep. It seems to be a direct application of Jesus' teaching to care for one another, and this concept was apparently one of the things that made the Irish so ready to embrace Christianity all those years ago.
From what I hear—and hope to see myself one day—the Irish still take their hospitality very seriously. Strangers are always welcome, especially to share a pint! So in that spirit, I lift my glass and wish everyone the happiest St. Paddy's Day!
There is also great wisdom in many ancient traditions. And one of the pillars of Celtic wisdom was hospitality. It was assumed that if one was traveling, one could stop at a home along the way and get a meal and a place to sleep. It seems to be a direct application of Jesus' teaching to care for one another, and this concept was apparently one of the things that made the Irish so ready to embrace Christianity all those years ago.
From what I hear—and hope to see myself one day—the Irish still take their hospitality very seriously. Strangers are always welcome, especially to share a pint! So in that spirit, I lift my glass and wish everyone the happiest St. Paddy's Day!
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