I wrote this list on St. Patrick's Day 2006. Had I written it today, not a word would have changed.
Seeing the glint in my grandfather’s eyes as he proudly danced a jig in his living room for his children and grandchildren
Eating corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes for dinner once a year
Realizing I did not like the taste of corned beef or cabbage
Wearing a white dress with braided green trim to the St Patrick's Day parade in San Francisco when I was 7 years old
Realizing my mother stayed up all night to make 3 identical white dresses with braided green trim so my sisters and I would look like sisters at the parade
Hearing the thick Irish brogue in my grandparent’s voices
Listening to the sweet melody of my mom and her sisters singing Irish songs
Realizing my eyes do smile
Remembering to wear green to school on March 17 so I wouldn't get pinched by classmates
Feeling a little thrill every time the Lucky Charms leprechaun was on TV
Wanting to believe there really is a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow
Pinning shamrocks to my sons’ sleepers when they were babies
Watching the Irish Tenors and Celtic Women concerts on PBS whenever they're aired
Discovering in a drawer just last week the little green sweater my grandfather brought to me from Ireland when I was in the 2nd grade
Wearing on my pinkie finger every day the Claddaugh ring my mom bought on her final trip to Ireland
Loving and sharing with my sisters my mom's collection of Belleek
Really wanting to correctly spell for this blog the word Shillelagh
Enjoying the irony that my sons are more Irish than Spanish
Knowing my niece is as proud to be Irish as her mom was at her age
Accepting my son's tatoo because it is a shamrock
Vowing to make sure my 3-year-old granddaughter wears when she is in the 2nd grade that little green sweater my grandfather brought to me from Ireland
I wrote this list on St. Patrick's Day 2006. Had I written it today, not a word would have changed.
