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The world could use a bit of the “luck of the Irish” right now

Watching the world during pnumonia brought Deb highlights and scary times
28435918_web1_220127-SIN-Daresay-photo_1
Daresay - Deb Meissner

I always have loved St. Patrick’s Day. I love my Irish heritage, and having the whole world celebrate is pretty fun.

My Grandad Ted was Irish, complete with dimples and blue eyes which actually twinkled when he laughed, and he laughed a lot. I always think of him on this day and know he is smiling down on me.

Even though it is a cultural and religious holiday, the unique celebrations that have come about are rather amusing. Every year in Chicago the city releases 40 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river. That is enough to keep it bright lime green for a week. Matches all the green tongues people sport from drinking green beer.

It seems popular menus for the day call for Irish soda bread, corned beef, and of course, cabbage. Wearing green, whether you are Irish or not, has become tradition, along with sporting the symbol of the rebirth of spring, the shamrock.

Did you know, by the way, the traditional colour of St. Patrick’s Day was blue, not green? How this change came about is a story in itself, I’m sure.

After the last two years, I am hoping the “luck of the Irish” will be with all of us for better days ahead.

Regardless of the craziness which goes on in celebrations around the world, on March 17, I will always think of Ted Burns, my real-life Irishman granddad, who was larger than life to me.

For a month I have been laid up at home with acute pneumonia, and had little ability to do much except sleep and watch TV.

I watched with pride as the Canadians won medal after medal at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

I was especially proud to watch Adam Kingsmill help his para ice hockey team bring home silver. It was remarkable to hear the announcers say time and again “Adams’s hometown of Smithers, B.C., is a great producer of world class athletes.”

That is a very true statement. In fact, northwestern B.C. had several communities represented in both the Olympics and Paralympics.

No matter how they fared, I was truly impressed and proud of the accomplishments and achievements of our local athletes, and I hope each of them are too. I mean, they were competing and winning on a world level, from our little corner of the world.

That is amazing, and a huge congratulations to not only the athletes, but the coaches from here too. I can’t wait to talk to them about their experiences, once they arrive back home.

When the Olympics were not on, world events, of course, dominated the news. I’ve been horrified to see events unfold in Ukraine.

The words of my late father-in-law who fought in WWII go through my mind often. He told me he fought for Queen and country so that his children, grandchildren and later generations would never have to experience the atrocities of war.

He would be furious and more than a bit concerned at the direction of current events. His hopes are my prayers, and I hope, somehow, this insanity will be brought to a stop without further bloodshed of innocent people and without other countries being brought into the madness.

Let us all hope a little “luck of the Irish” will find its way to people in conflict all around the world, and people’s humanity will override violent leaders’ propensity for war.