Happy St. Patrick's Day

Today our family celebrates St. Patrick's Day. Marrying into an Irish family makes this holiday a special one, but it is also a special day because it is the birthday of my father-in-law. He was 100% Irish, born on St. Patrick's Day. It can't get any better for a full-blown Irishman. This year we will be celebrating in spirit with my father-in-law. As some of you know, he passed away last year on February 28th. I miss him and think of him often.



An Irish Prayer

Death is nothing at all. It does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room. Everything remains as it was. The old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged. Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no sorrow in your tone. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting, when we meet again.