An Ode to Ireland
Remember that little piece of my heart I left back in Ireland? Well, today I can feel its absence more than on other days. Since starting school again, I have been so busy, and I long for the simple contentment I felt while in Maynooth. I miss Guinness and warm stews and people walking their dogs.
I knew Ireland was special place when I was there, but I didn't expect to miss it so much. The feeling of safety, the unabashed simplicity but fighting spirit of the place-- these all weigh heavily on my mind today as I drive miles to each place in my hometown, passing fields, fast food chains, and department stores. This place feels cheap now in comparison, a copy of a copy. No structure in this state is as old or authentic as the castles I passed on campus at Maynooth.
Ireland is a beautiful place, physically and beyond. It is comforting and warm, despite the weather being less so. It is friendly and welcoming, never excessive or overdone. It is proud to be itself without screaming its glory from the rooftops. It is subtle but breathtaking, conservative but not judgmental, ancient but not outdated.
Look after the piece of my heart that I left with you, Éire. Hopefully one day I will be back to claim it.
This was a path I like to walk on campus. Ironically, it is not the grand castles or sprawling mountains that I most miss; it is quiet walks like these, watching parents play with their children or owners walk their pets. This was a place of safety and contentment, and I think often of it.