Friday, November 13, 2015

Love's Dream

If I could spend another day alive,
I’d run to you and tell you how I feel.
Saying without your love I can’t survive,
And I’d kneel down before you with appeal.
The ring would sparkle in the evening light,
As I presented you with my whole life.
Just as daytime faded into midnight,
You’d tell me yes, that you would be my wife.
That night would turn into a lifetime’s love,
With you beside me wherever I went.
I’d be your hawk, and you, my all above,
In our sweet lives God lent his supplement.
     But only in a dream did that occur,
     For I have left that life a hazy blur.

A Living Dream

        A dream is a perfect thing: so divinely obscure that it can seem like you’ve lost your mind, or so unthinkably realistic that it clearly resembles everyday life. Even a visit to a certain location can be described as dreamy, and this is exactly what I can say for my last vacation.
Early last month, my family and I went on a two week trip to Ireland. I had thought of Ireland as a country overflowing with leprechauns, rainbows, and exposed, raw accents. Of course, when I landed, it was nothing like I had imagined; this astonishing country differed from my expectations in amazing ways. Lush, vivid hills framed the choppy waves which cut at the coastline. Tall grass danced as the gusty winds caught it in their grasp. Sharp mountains rose majestically from the earth, casting shadows on the lowlands lying beneath them. It was such a beautiful sight that it brought tears to my eyes. During these next couple of weeks, I would learn to appreciate the deep history of Ireland, to preserve its brilliant environment, to love the amazing flavors of the island, and to enjoy the company of the Irish.
As I discovered soon after landing, Ireland is filled with monumental landmarks: castles, ruins, historical pilgrimages, ancient caves, and much more. At first, I took these places for granted; after all, there are thousands of castles in Ireland, let alone the rest of the world. But then I realized the value of touring these ancient structures and exploring Ireland: I was enjoying myself, yet still learning about the history of the country.
Before I knew it, I wasn’t just reading historical events on plaques, I was watching history play out in front of me, as if it was a movie.  While staying in Ulster, I was plunged into the magnificent Nine Years’ War of the late 16th century, joining Hugh O’Neill in rebellion while attacking the British on the river Blackwater. I never thought that I would experience something as breathtaking as this. I was inside the minds of these Irish countrymen, plotting the battle at Yellow Ford and rejoicing with them after victories. 
Shifting to the 1600’s, I found myself in the small town of Kilmore, fleeing from the many fires burning throughout the village. I gaped, petrified, as Scottish and English women and children were cruelly massacred in public streets. I had never before read about how Ireland was so deeply conflicted; these sudden acts of cruelty seemed savage and completely uncalled for.
While I was exploring the history of Ireland, I became lost in the fantasy of royalty- my people were praising me and gazing upon my bejeweled gown as I stepped out onto my balcony. I experienced the glory of being an important figure, but I also encountered the hardships. I endured the abominable feeling of having my people despise me, and the harsh, crushing feeling when I was expected to make a crucial decision. Realizing that ruling was no easy feat, I developed a new respect for those in powerful positions. My understanding of Ireland was growing vastly. 
Although touring historical sights was a fairly large part of my trip, I also had a grand time discovering the Irish culture, food, music, and people. The atmosphere in Ireland was quite cheery and calm, and everywhere I went, there was the loud hum of chatter surrounding me. The music of Ireland was deep and meaningful, usually in Gaelic rather than English. I thought that the streets seemed quaint and neat, unlike many in the United States. But the food they served was not close to what I had pictured, especially breakfast.
A traditional Irish breakfast consists of the following: black pudding, white pudding, Canadian bacon, toast with jam, sausages, and a fried egg. While the rest of the meal tasted excellent, the black pudding was grainy and metallic tasting! 
Hiding a laugh, a waitress approached me, “Are you from America?”
The question surprised me. “Yes, I am,” I answered, filling my voice with as much patriotism as I could convey.
“It’s almost comical! Nearly every American who tastes the puddings dislikes them!”
“How ironic! I have a fine question: what exactly is in these puddings?”
The kind waitress covered her mouth with her hands, stifling a laugh. “Pig blood and liver,” she responded, laughing. As you can guess, I was mortified. 
A few food-related things that set Ireland apart from other countries was the lack of macaroni and cheese and the abundance of fish and chips. I visited well over 30 restaurants, and none of them had mac and cheese on the menu! Although most had multiple types of fish and chips, which pleased the few million who dwell in Ireland.
I’ve visited almost all of the states, yet nowhere have I found people nearly as friendly as the Irish. They seem always ready to chat or to help out. One day, while I was attempting to navigate to the Tower Museum, a stranger ambled up to me and asked, “Are you okay? You seem a bit… confused.”
Embarrassed, I said, “I’m looking for the Tower Museum, and I really cannot find it. I’ve walked around the entire city and haven’t seen a single sign regarding its location.”
“I’ll walk you there, if you’d like. It’s not too far,” he offered.
“Why, thank you! This country is so much better than home; nobody would ever think of walking someone to a location, let alone actually follow through with that thought.”
“That’s just what we do here,” the man responded, “The Irish are expected to extend hospitality to others, especially visitors.” When we arrived at the Tower Museum, I thanked the man and he told me to have a great trip, and to come back soon. His kindness had shocked me, and I was in a brilliant mood for the rest of that day.
Another time, while staying at a cozy B&B, the owner of the home personally served me a lovely dinner, and the following morning drove me down into Derry for the next few days. Everyone was open to friendly discussion, and even when it touched upon the topic of politics, nobody was offended in any way. This differed much from America; here, when political matters are brought up in a conversation, an innocent chat usually ends with red faces, pounding fists, and deafening tones. 
After I had caught a flight home, I sat down and pondered these breathtaking new experiences for a long period of time. What I had seen and been a part of was certainly no ordinary occasion- for the two weeks that I had spent in Ireland, I had been accepted. I was taken in by not only those dwelling in the current century, but also those from past years. I had dined with their royalty, fox hunted with well-known nobles, fished with kind peasants, and sheltered sheep with pleasant farmers. I sampled many types of food, jostled my way through foot traffic on narrow streets, walked where history went down, and interacted with open-hearted natives. As I reflected on these sweet memories, I became aware of the full extent of what I had just done. Tears streamed down my face as I recalled the names of every castle I had visited, all the cities I had spent fond nights in. These were tears of joy, coming out of my newfound love for Ireland. Everything had been so brilliant that now it just seemed like a splendid dream, something so perfect that it never could have been real, let alone happened to me. But it did, and that’s what is so stunning. I was blessed to be able to travel to such an exhilarating country, and I shall never forget my lovely days spent in a living dream.





Emotions

The Definition of Emotion
Emotions (i’mōSHens): Natural, instinctive states of mind deriving from circumstances,mood, or relationships.
Although this does present a rather reasonable definition for emotions, they are much more than just ink on paper- they are immaculate yet unpredictable beings, trapped inside the maze of our mind. Most of the time, we smother them to attempt to appear brave or unshakeable, but nobody is free from the clutches of Emotion. She can become a monster if hidden, but if she is allowed to show her true colors, Emotion shines with gracious beauty.
Emotion is the headquarters of our brain, bustling with many complex employees: Anger, Fear, Envy, Joy, and Confusion are just a few of them. Anger is a hideous demon- he cannot control himself and his actions. If something displeases him, he’ll be sure to let us know. Fear is a sickly girl, always shying away from anything that may seem uncertain to her. She even avoids healthy risks. Envy is never gone, although she may seem as if she is. Envy is always lurking around, waiting for just the right moment to insert exactly what she is best at: causing jealousy and chaos. Consequently, Joy cannot be deterred- even if she has been bullied, she returns in full bliss. Confusion brings mayhem upon us whenever he visits, and it pleases him to see his abhorred work in action.
Because so many characters dwell inside her continuously bustling nerve center, Emotion is always alive with the light of activity. The many feelings inside her never rest due to excess energy, and they must find a way to discard this energy. Therefore, they heap it upon us, tearing our hearts apart either for the bliss of the good or the terror of the unrighteous. But these feelings evolve us into something else, something deep: a true human. Without emotion, what would we be? We’d be flat, depthless beings with no heart- robots. 
When we shove our emotions deep inside of us, never to be discovered, we are almost asking to become something simple, something basic. We are begging to have the gifts we have been bestowed with stripped away. But when we unleash these feelings, we are accepting our true selves. Although not all of our emotions are desirable, they are necessary to life.

In our society today, we are pressured to be the perfect person who never seems confused or afraid. We are asked to ‘put on a play’ to disguise our true selves, pressed into a mold to transform our entire thought process. In this ever-changing, cruel world, we must not be afraid to show our emotions. We cannot fear speaking with others about them. Because no matter how blemished they force us to feel, emotions make us human.