This morning I was thinking about my new "Erin Go Bragh" flag. I coveted a similar flag while walking with my daughter and she went ahead and bought one for my birthday. Though this is not my personal flag, it might as well be. Besides having my name on it, it also has a girl with a pony tail connected to a harp emblazoned on a field of green. I still wear high pony tails, have green eyes, have the emerald as my birthstone, love music and King David's harp with his emphasis on religious music, and have the most Irish name ever-Erin O'Malley. Growing up, the name Erin wasn't too popular and people often misspelled it as Aaron (which is also a cool name considering priesthood power and such.) Along the way, I learned my name was in the dictionary meaning"Ireland." When divorcing, I went back to my maiden name as a way to reclaim my individual identity and just because I loved my name. Literal translation of the phrase "Erin Go Bragh" is "Ireland until eternity." Or the more popular rendition is "Erin Forever." I like the eternity reference even better.
So enough self-celebration. With all this green coursing through my veins, surely a trip to Ireland is in order. That was the plan anyway to celebrate my 50th birthday by going to Louisburgh, Mayo County (where my people came from,) do some family history, participate in the annual traditional Irish music festival held there, hike Crough Patrick, ride horses on the beach, ride the O'Malley ferry to Clare Island and visit the stomping ground of Grace O'Malley the pirate queen, etc, etc. But alas, my 50t birthday came and went a couple of years ago and that trip did not materialize. However, I have a cool Irish shrine in my condo with fun decor and pics on my wall to remind me of all things Ireland. And now I have a flag waving in front of my window. What more can a girl ask for?
Besides, who wants to ride in a metal tube in the sky for a billion hours anyway just to walk around in some green hills? (that's the best sour grapes sentiment I could come up with) I have my stunning green hills in my own back yard. So as my May birthday hike, I decided to go up Dry Canyon and drink in the green meadows, green stepped hills and snow capped mountains in the background. It was stunning. I could easily pretend I was in Ireland. I knew I had arrived when I heard my familiar blacked capped chickadee singing it's two note song "Erin." I'm sure you can't hear it, but I can. The song of this bird has come to symbolize for me that I am in the right place at the right time. I'm pretty superstitious I guess-maybe I believe in fairies and leprechauns too.
Utah is exceptionally green this year-more than usual because of the spring rainfalls. Everything seems to be decked out in their greenery. Life force seems to surround me. I especially love the bright shade of green in the early spring. Trees that have lay dormant in the winter are now bursting in color. I love the sense of renewal-new beginnings-starting again. It is the season of hope. Green does mean GO. I love the symbolism behind the color green.
I have come to appreciate the splash of green worn by temple initiates. As a fashion conscious young adult, I though it ruined my "dressed in white" ensemble. Through the years, I've increased my understanding of the symbolism as well as my appreciation for the necessary fall of man. I appreciate the greenness of humanity. We are all vulnerable, green. But at the same time, we are covered through the atonement of Jesus Christ. New green leaves cover the once naked branches. He covers the earth with green. He reminds us of new life, of starting again, over and over and over. It is an eternal season of hope. It is Ireland until Eternity.
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