"Ah, The Wearin O' the Green..."

Did you ever notice how so many people thoroughly enjoy getting into the spirit of this popular holiday? At school today I was amused and cheered to see how many high-schoolers were wearing green, quite a few of them really getting into out-doing each other with crazy leprechaun outfits or died hair!

Personally, I think part of the appeal of our “Americanized” St. Patrick's celebration is where it falls within the seasonal calendar. Temperatures are beginning to warm up (pretty much throughout the continental U.S.), and everyone is more than ready to shed the dark colors and heavy sweaters of winter. With Easter only a few short weeks away “spring fever” is taking hold, and it seems that everyone is looking for an excuse to celebrate the end of winter and just – break out.

Originally a feast day for a beloved Catholic saint, St. Patrick's Day brings a whole lot more to the American Public these days than just the “wearin o' the green.” Numerous cities and towns across the U.S. host parades and festivals, with most local bars and taverns offering some form of Irish beer (or beer died to various shades of green). With so many opportunities to party, who can't love St. Patty's Day?

America has been touched heavily by the Irish, with many relocating here in the seventeen and eighteen-hundreds, slowly migrating across the continental United States by wagon train. Many families can today trace their heritage back to at least one Irish ancestor, and those of us who can't still like to think they're just “a little bit” Irish!

Indulging in the customs and traditions of the holiday, anyone can be Irish for the day. Dreaming of green hills, thatched-roof cottages with flowers at the window, and the commraderie of a small village at a local pub, we imagine a land of eternal spring as our snow melts and seasonal rain showers begin.

Some might consider the holiday useless and frivilous, but the fact remains that St. Patrick's Day brings a smile to many a face as we anticipate the burst of color and renewal brought with the return of Spring.  

When Irish eyes are smiling,

Tis like a morn in spring.

With a lilt of Irish laughter

You can hear the angels sing

When Irish hearts are happy

All the world is bright and gay

When Irish eyes are smiling

Sure, they steal your heart away.

 
Irish Eyes

- Song, by Chaucey Olcott and George Graff, Jr.

Pay it forward - spread a smile!


Photos property of Google Images

"Dirt Therapy"

I'm ready to go back outside! The beginning of this week brought Spring into North Georgia with warmer temperatures and clear, blue, sunny skies.

We immediately headed outdoors to begin the annual “Spring clean-up” around our house, raking leaves and generally clearing away the debris and muck left over from a late winter snow.

While my husband started the cutting and treatment of the lawn for it's new Spring growth, I began the arduous task of raking the dead leaves and over-growth from around the walls of the house and from under the trees and bushes surrounding our large and partially-wooded lot. It took us almost all day to complete these projects, but we enjoyed the fresh air and the sun on our skin as we plugged away with a common purpose.

The last few weeks of winter being rather gray and gloomy, it was a particularly beautiful day. The smell of damp and freshly-raked earth brought through open windows on a sunny breeze was intoxicating and tempting. It was evident that many in our community were experiencing the thrill of finally leaving their dark interiors to herald the new season. Amid the birds were the sounds of mowers, tractors, clippers and saws; dogs barking; children calling and laughing. Greetings were shouted across neighboring yards with smiling faces in a spirit of vitality and good-will.

After transporting all the leaves and brush to a clearing prepared for burning - and putting the tractor and tools away – I stood on our back deck to survey our handiwork. Sore, filthy and tired, I still felt energized and happy. Some people may not be able to truly appreciate the joy and satisfaction that comes from working amid dirt and plants, and I understand that it's probably just “not their thing.” I, however, thrive in this environment and always feel better when I've had time to spend digging in the dirt again.

I've discovered over the years that while home-ownership demands a good deal of responsibility, I really don't mind the work required in maintaining the outdoor portion of our home. For no matter where we live – whether it be a ranch consisting of hundreds of acres, a home in the middle of suburbia, or a small brownstone within city limits - the area surrounding and entering our home is an extension of our personality and the life within.

Physical work of any kind permits us an opportunity to clear our minds and bodies of stress and fatigue, the oxygen clearing away the cobwebs in our brain. Though energizing, I always find myself more relaxed and in better spirits when working outside in the yard or flower beds. Yes, it can be a real hassle to try and keep up with weeds, over-grown shrubs and grass. But if we take the time to enjoy the personal solitude incurred while performing these tasks, those moments become a time of reflection, meditation, or prayer … all in the midst of nature.

A well-known chain of landscaping nurseries in the southeast has a slogan that I have loved for years: “Come play in the dirt again!” Like a child, I need not worry about what clothes I'm wearing, whether my hair is messy, or how dirty I get when working outside. Focusing on nothing but the task at hand – whether pulling weeds or the repetition of hoeing or raking – I totally let go of any stress or worries plaguing me at the moment. As my mind becomes clearer I begin to commute with God, the conversation progressing as though He's standing and working right beside me. I almost always find myself singing (in my head, or sometimes out loud!), offering my notes to heaven.

It really is the best of two worlds for I gain valuable prayer, meditation, and alone time while accomplishing an important job. No spa or retreat-center required. (although, occasionally my muscles might be screaming for a massage afterwards!)

I'm looking forward to Spring kicking into high-gear. I can't wait to get back out there and do some more cleaning and planting. Far from finished, we have a small garden to prepare and more to clear away.

The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of the birds for mirth,

One is nearer God's heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth.

~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"

It's not just the work and the end-result I'm looking forward to... it's the therapy!

Pay it forward this Spring – maybe by taking care of the small piece of earth around you - in return, you'll receive so much more than beautiful blooms!

Photos property of Google Images, Washington Post & Stock Photo