Thank you for everyone who voted for Sam’s Disco Party for Peace in the Parties with a Purpose Competition. We came in 2nd place and raised $500.00 for the Bryant Peace Committee. We had people voting for our video in Africa, Germany, throughout the US, including 30 advertising executives voting during a meeting in New York city. What an awesome example for our children of the power of community. Thank You!
Vote for Sam and help raise $1000.00 for the Bryant Peace Committee
Sam’s Disco Party for Peace has made the top 5 in a Party with a Purpose competition. The video that gets the most votes will receive $1000.00 for their purpose. Will you help us win by clicking on the link below and then giving Sam’s video a thumbs up. The money he raises will benefit the Bryant Peace Program.
http://vivanista.com/2011/01/the-results-are-in/
Thanks for your help!
What ‘s Next?
Each year I spend part of my New Year’s at a Korean Women’s Spa. I spend my time soaking in mineral pools, resting in heated salt and sand rooms. and eating delicious and healthy Korean stir fry. The day culminates with receiving a skin scrub to get rid of the old and a skin moisturizing massage to bless the new.
This New Year’s Eve as I lived this treasured ritual, a sadness walked with me. I tried to breathe into it, but questions kept badgering me. What’s next? What was this trip all about?
This experience was such a big surprise and huge gift, I think I expected it to lead lead to something else big. I have this inner mantra that tells me that each life experience is a stepping stone to something else, so this huge experience must lead to some huge change in me or for me and my family. But it didn’t. We came home to the same lovely home, to the same loving community, to our same good work and this haunting question, What’s next?
After my scrub and moisturizing massage at the spa, I went to the salt room and curled up on the floor, soaking in the heat, breathing in the smell of herbs, and resting in the womb like darkness of the room. I prayed. I asked God, “What’s next? What am I supposed to do with this experience? What am I missing here?” What I heard back is this:
You are missing the gift. Just breath in the experience. You do not have to do anything with it, except accept the joy of it. You did not take Sam to the Beatles experience expecting him to come home and become a rock star. You gave him the experience because you knew he would love it and that you would love watching his delight. So it is with you. You were given this experience because I knew you would love every second of it and that I would love watching your delight. That is it. That is the gift. Relax now and enjoy the memory and let it take root in you however it will.
The sadness began to lift and my weariness subsided. I got up, got dressed and went home to enjoy my life and to welcome the New Year.
We’re Home
We made it home without incident. This was a small miracle considering the snow that shut down airports all along our route. On our way to Norway, we had a layover in Amsterdam. When we were going through customs, the agent asked me, “How long have you been here?” I looked at him with confusion and said, “5 minutes.” He then told me that they had people stuck there all night. We cleared customs and there were hundreds of cots lining the walkways. Our plane left, right on time. We left Liverpool for Dublin and the very next day the major airports in England were closed because of snow and ice. Throughout our time in Ireland the Dublin airport was closed on and off because of weather. Even on Christmas Day, it was closed for a few hours. We got out just fine on the 26th. We flew through Atlanta, when all up and down the east coast, thousands were stranded at airports, and gratefully we only had an hour delay.
We had an amazing time. And there is so much to digest. We have spent much of our week sleeping and hanging out in our pj’s, slowly reconnecting with friends and family.
People ask about our time and wonder what the highlights were. Trying to come up with an answer fells a bit like having a gaggle of children and having someone ask which is your favorite. Each experience was so amazing and unique. It is hard to pick one or two and say this was my favorite. So I will say this, the highlight for me was living this experience with Niko and Sam. 22 days together, 24 hours a day, it is a wonder to me, how much we enjoyed each other and how well we traveled together. What could be better than that?
Christmas in Dublin
We arrived back in Dublin to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day with Rhona. We set out into the cold dark night to walk to her college for Christmas Eve Mass. A small group of us gathered around the alter, leaving the main body of the Church empty. There we sang and prayed and welcomed the light into our lives. We returned home to the warmth of Rhona’s apartment and while Niko and Sam snuggled into bed, Santa went to work wrapping gifts and setting them under the Christmas decorations in the living room.
It is a simple Christmas. A few small gifts for each of us. Nothing more. No big Santa surprise gift or extravagant gifts for each other. Small gifts that fit our overstuffed luggage and that allow us a little surprise to open on this day of giving. The real gift for all of us has been spending this cold, dark season in the light of this amazing experience. No physical gift can begin to compare. So we sit by the electric fire and sip our whiskey or hot cocoa and watch the Polar Express and smell the turkey in the oven and give thanks for the sweet gifts of home here together.
Christmas Day: Dublin, Ireland
Hill of Tara
From County Cavan, we drove to the Hill of Tara. I had told Niko we probably would only need to stop for a few minutes, as it is so cold outside and the day is getting late and we want to get to Dublin before Sunset. I guess I wasn’t expecting much. We found the town of Tara, parked the car and went into a small shop to finish our Christmas shopping and to ask for directions. As we left the shop, dusk was settling in. We followed the path behind the shop and up the hill and there it was, the Hill of Tara. The view was amazing. The sun was setting and the sky was pink, purple, red, yellow and orange. Sam climbed up and slid down the Hill of Hostages. We were delighted in this unexpected winter wonderland and the expanse of sky and snow and beauty. Sheep grazed nearby and Niko and Sam were silhoutted against the sky as we wandered back to the car, totally satisfied by this final tourist adventure in Ireland.
County Cavan
Michael advised us not to head to county Cavan, as the roads we very bad in that direction. Then he heard that we had gone to New Grange yesterday and exclaimed, “If you made it to New Grange, you can make it Cavan.” So we hopped in the car and headed up the M5. County Cavan is where the Riley’s are from. I am told that they can be traced back to the 6th century. I am so excited to be on this land, knowing it is the land of my ancestors. County Cavan, covered in snow looks a lot like MN…lots of iced over lakes, rolling hills of white, clusters of trees. When we got to the border of Cavan, we jumped out of the car to get a picture of me with the Welcome to County Cavan sign. That is when I really noticed the snow. It was like no other snow, I halve ever seen. Millions of crystal formations shooting up from the group…it was breathtaking. AS the sun hit the crystal formations, they sparkled.
We wondered around the town of county Cavan, noticing businesses of the O’Reilleys. O’Connel’s and the O’Rourkes. It was delightful to see these names of my family and childhood friends, here in this country so far from home.
Christmas Eve Morning at Killyon B&B
Fresh pineapple, melon,grapefruit, satsumas, and bananas, fresh squeezed orange juice, Greek yogurt with a variety of cereal toppings, homemade marmalade, three kinds of homemade breads, scrambled eggs with smoke salmon, warm porridge, these were the delights that awaited us at breakfast this morning. The proprietor of our B&B is Michael. His twinkling brilliant blue eyes greeted us as we made our way to our table rich with antiques and a bountiful breakfast. As we ate, he told us his stories of living in London in the 60’s. Paul McCartney lived around the corner from him. And he met the Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix and Tom Jones. He gave up his bed for Tom Jones one night. Michael also gave us a tutorial on the antiques that surround us. The 7 paintings in our room actually came from the home of Bono! How do we stumble into these places?
Last night, we arrived in Navan after driving cross country all day in the hopes of visiting New Grange. We arrived to a closed gate and a sign that said it was closed because of inclement weather. We were half expecting what we found so our disappointment faded quickly and instead we took a few moments to just breathe in the spirit of this place. We then hopped in our car and drove further down the road to see the remains of Dowthe, which can be seen from the road.
Once we arrived in Navan, we stopped at the Loft for dinner. It was recommended in our Lonely Planet Guide Book. The food was fantastic, but even more impressive was the staff. I asked Paddy, the young man who took us to our table where he would recommend us staying for the night. He asked what kind of accommodations we were looking for and when I told him a reasonably priced B&B, he said he’d get on the phone and see what he could find for us. Twenty minutes later he comes back and tells us about Killyon B&B, just 5 minutes down the road and asks if we would like him to book it for us.
Our waitress, Rebbecca, was just as impressive and kind. When I asked about the soup of the day, she asked if I would like to try it. I expected a small sample, instead, she brought me a whole cup of the most fantastic cream of onion soup I could ever imagine. Niko, Sam and I all shared it and then ordered a large bowl. Sam ordered a pizza, Niko ordered a salad that had Chorizo, avocados and tomatoes on a bed of lettuce…yumm, and when I was trying to decide whether or not to get the meatballs, she again ran off and brought me back a sample of the sauce they were cooked in. It was a delicious meal, made more so by the kind and generous staff.
Because of Paddy, we have the great fortune of partaking of the best breakfast we have had in the past 3 weeks…possible the best breakfast ever. It is a wonderful way to start our Christmas.
Westport and Intuitive Travel
Travelling around Ireland has been such a gift. We set off each day with a plan that is easily adapted as new information or experiences are presented. Today we set off for Galway. Sam was excited to go to the Atalantaquarium in Salthill. We got there and it was closed. He was disappointed, but recovered quickly.
We decided that Galway was too large for our liking and continued up to Westport. We had heard of a bar called Matt Malloys, owned by the flutist for the Chieftan’s. We stopped in to check it out and to ask for a recommendation for housing. There were 2 men behind the bar who were more than happy to help us. The younger man got on the phone to check on a B&B for us, while the older man visited with us for a moment. When we asked his name it was none other than Matt Malloy himself!
The B&B they led us to was basically closed because of weather, but they opened it up for us and because they wouldn’t be serving us the full traditional breakfast or be around much they gave us a great deal on the price. We were elated.
We stayed 2 nights, wondering the streets, doing some Christmas shopping, seeking out more Irish music and settling in to this place. We went to Matt Malloy’s 2 nights in a row to listen to music and never saw Matt again, except for that first chance meeting on arrival.