On Pictures, Postings and the Ability to Cull....

We have been home just over 2 weeks. This has been enough time for me to be busy at work, creating a new bedroom, decorating and crafting. Time to visit new moms, encouraging and supporting. Time to visit long time friends, share in good news, triumphs and difficulties. Time to spend with my husband, my friend.
We had 250 pictures of our recent trip printed yesterday. These were culled from 2000. I have a photo album that will fit 100, allowing space for comments beside pictures, notes to remind us about where we visited and who was there.The notes will be a good thing--my brain forgets details faster than it learns them! In his guest posting, my husband shared about his memories of the trip--and even some of his details have become slightly hazy already! I am glad we have so many pictures, so many reminders of the memories we want to cherish. I will put a few highlights below.
This is a picture of the pipe organ in St. Patrick's cathedral in Armagh. Patrick, before he was a saint, was in Ireland in the late 400's and early 500's. He set up his mission base in Armagh, which was the primary seat of Mordha, queen of the Celts. This cathedral was built in his honour more than 1000 years later. When we visited, the organ-master was teaching a class and we had the privilege of visiting this holy place while being treated to what amounted to a pipe organ concert. I found myself, several times, moved to tears. The beauty of this place, the stunning architecture, the creativity in it's design, the sacredness brought me to an awareness of how everything was done to the glory of God the Father.
We also felt that the Aran Islands were a highlight of our trip. Rugged beauty, ancient history, isolated people all contributed to a sense of otherworldness, an opportunity to step apart. The people are genuinely interested in tourists, yet simple and happy to remain in this isolated place. We were struck by beautiful graveyards, the epitaphs a testament to lives well lived and loved ones missed.





So many highlights, I don't think you would want it all at once. But this I know, the Celtic knots became very meaningful to us, such a lovely symbol of both God's love and of marriage--no beginning, no end. We found a live example of the Celtic knot called the Tree of Life--somewhat fitting!
This trip was about celebrations. We celebrated the fact that my lover had finished 4 long years of school to complete his Masters. We celebrated my first full year after cancer. And we celebrated my 50th birthday! For my birthday, I received a beautiful bracelet from my mom. She had a charm put on it that is the word LOVE, inside one single square, after she received the bracelet from her mom, who put a charm on it for one of her passions, golf clubs. She put another charm on there, a shamrock inlaid with connemara marble. She had received the bracelet from her mom when she turned 50--and it had first been my great grandmothers. The trip was finding my way back to my roots. It was a series of celebrations. For those who read this regularly, you know I celebrate life--it is my passion, my life. So, when I can find it, I will put a charm on it that is a Celtic knot in the form of the Tree of Life. Most fitting! I will continue to search for this in a silver and gold setting, but while I wait, I will continue to be, for life, grateful!
Rising Sun - Interconnected Celtic Knot Tree and Roots of Life Sterling Silver Pendant

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Eve

Weekend Wanderings

Two More Sleeps