Slainte ~ Everyday is a Celebration!

I remember March 17, 2002 like it was yesterday.  I was in the car driving up 91North between exits 22 and 23 and it hit me like a ton of bricks...This was the first Holiday, that I realized I would not celebrate St. Patrick's Day with my Mom.  It hurt me to the core.  I wouldn't understand until later why this hit me so hard.  Between my tears, I got on the phone with an old friend who knew what a big deal my Mom made over EVERY Holiday and cried, it was an uncontrollable, unconsoleable sob! 

Why St. Patty's Day?  Why such a blow?  Valentine's Day had come and gone and I had celebrated with my new "love interest" ~ aka Ed and I was perfectly fine!  Then I figured it out...

My Mom found a reason to celebrate any and EVERYTHING!  She would buy me St. Patrick's Day Cards, and throw in a few Gold Coins.  She would make sure I had my corned beef and cabbage (even in college and the later years...)  If you haven't figured it out yet, there is not any clear Irish blood running through these veins (from what we can tell, that's a (TFAD) topic for another day...), but that didn't matter in the least.  Glenda Boyd celebrated and made sure she spread the "Slainte!" (cheer, good health with me).  I didn't appreciate it then, and actually thought it was corny, but MAN, on that day, at that minute I missed it.  I knew that no one was going to wish me a Happy St. Patrick's Day or buy me a St. Patrick's Day gift and that hurt and they had no clue what emptiness I felt.

My Use it Moment:
From that I have learned to use every holiday to celebrate.  Tomorrow is never promised and it is not only a "pick me up" for you, but for others as well.  Today, Nemo and I rocked our green.  When I walked into Starbucks (TFAD), the Barista smiled from ear to ear.  She asked if we were having some sort of contest at the office.  I may have overdone it with my green, but it started up a counter conversation where one girl on her way out reassured me that today "we are all Irish" (TFAD).

St. Patty's Day is over for the Moore's but here's our gear (minus my kelly green pea coat!)

As much junk as I talked about Ed and his dang on parades, we went (and I was secretly excited to see the bagpipes and the traditional Irish dancers).



Check out our Lt. Governor Wyman rocking the stilletto's for the whole parade.  Get it girl!



Their dancing was on point, but I am SURE all of them had headaches from the big wigs they were rockin'!

My Lose it Moment:
I say all of this to say that if you do not take advantage of the little celebrations, you will be overwhelmed with all of the other "stuff" (and Lord knows there's plenty of it).  Nemo even said to me one day when I turned on the news...Mom, can you change the channel, there's nothing but bad news?  I asked where he heard that, he said nowhere, it's just always bad stuff there.  WOW!

While there is much to be debated about the contributions of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick secured his spot in history.  St. Patrick's primary contribution was that he successfully converted Ireland from a pagan to a Christian land.

Today, we celebrated, because we are all one (I knew I was related to my Uncle "Teddy" Kennedy somehow! (TFAD)  LOL!  And had a fabulous time doing so!

To all of my friends and family Slainte!