I was on Facebook again for a much needed break, and I saw an Irish birthday blessing a friend posted. No, it wasn’t my birthday, so the post wasn’t for me but I read it anyway. It’s not like I had something better to do, like write a novel or anything.
Plus, lately I’ve been noticing anything that has do to with the Irish. It seems I have a weakness for Irish things: Irish whiskey, Irish cream, Irish coffee, Irish authors, Irish humor, Irish blessings, Irish … well, you get the idea. And if you don’t, then you’re out of Irish luck!
Back to the birthday blessing: I copied it below.
May you live a long life
Full of gladness and health
With a pocket full of gold
As the least of your wealth
May the dreams you hold dearest
Be those which come true
May the kindness you spread,
Keep returning to you.
I like it. Very nice wishes. Except for the last part about the kindness you spread! It made me think of all those times I was everything but kind. Or the times I spent on my own, emotionally unable or, even worse … unwilling to spread any kindness. When I thought of those times, my first thought was, “Oh, shoot, I’m screwed!”
Funny, right? It’s OK for me to not be kind or be unkind (which is not the same thing, despite what anyone else is telling you), yet I still expect kindness from others. Maybe someday I’ll grow up to be less selfish. Until then, I’m re-writing this Irish birthday blessing into something that doesn’t feel like a curse. Here’s my new and improved version.
May you live a long life
Full of gladness and health
With a pocket full of gold
As the least of your wealth
May the dreams you hold dearest
Be those which come true
May kindness, love, and great … whiskey*,
Be bestowed upon you.
“Whiskey” was not the first word I used in my own version of this Irish saying. I actually used the word “sex”. And then I got a little embarrassed and used “time between the sheets”. And then I thought I was bordering on being sacrilegious, since this is supposed to be a blessing after all, and sex is not supposed to come up in a blessing, so I went with “whiskey”.
The first two choices were what I had in mind though. I thought they were much more funny than “whiskey”. And, they still rhymed. Try it, if you don’t believe me.
Regardless of what you choose for that second to last verse, be it “whiskey”, “sex”, “time between the sheets”, or something that makes more sense to you, I think this version of the Irish blessing is better.
So, apparently, the Irish are not perfect. They still need a “skillful” writer’s touch to make them so. LOL Sorry, I don’t like using LOL in my writing, but this time I couldn’t help it. The sarcasm, self-deprecation, and irony of it all made it impossible for me to not laugh at my own “wit”. This is an inside joke. Don’t worry. You’re not missing out on anything.
Well, I’m getting back to my own short story now. It’s very slow going but a lot of fun.
May kindness, love, and great … times,
Be bestowed upon you.
Ada Ireland is a pen name I came up with for myself. Unashamed Writing is a name I came up with for my blog.
Here’s a Welsh one, so as good as the Irish are …
To be born Welsh
Is to be born privileged,
Not with a silver spoon in your mouth,
But with music in your blood
And poetry in your soul.
Okay, here’s a real Welsh one.
Nid ydyw Duw mor greulon
Ag y dywaid hen ddynion.
Ni chyll Duw enaid gŵr mwyn,
Er caru gwraig na morwyn.
Tripheth a gerir drwy’r byd:
Gwraig a hinon ac iechyd.
Merch sydd decaf blodeuyn
Yn y nef ond Duw ei hun.
You’re welcome.