Driving home the other day we listened to an interview on the radio with a woman who was being asked about Saint Patrick's Day. The interviewer wanted to know how it has become such a world wide celebration. The woman was stymied by the question. In the end she said that she had no idea, but that she, herself, was taken aback by how many people from so many different countries and cultures wear green on Saint Patrick's day and who good the shamrock looks painted against every possible skin tone. The interviewer then moved to the inevitable talk of parties and green beer. At that point we turned off the radio. Not because we weren't interested but because Ted, our GPS, was beginning to give us lots of instructions. We're at the age where we can cope with only one source of sound at a time.
When Ted fell silent again, Joe and I talked about the interview. We both felt that the reason why Saint Patrick's Day is so widely and so wonderfully celebrated is because it is, perhaps, the only intentionally inclusive holiday there is. It simply has no boundaries. We've all heard the expression, "Everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick's Day." In fact if you Google those words you will get an astonishing 57,000,000 results. The whole thing has become about inclusion and welcome. It is a holiday where 'all finally means all.' It gives me hope to see that humanity can embrace humanity, it gives me cheer to see the colour green, one day a year, symbolise the human community.
I've written before about Saint Patrick's Day and our experiences at the parade. It's become such a tradition at Vita that I begin to be asked questions about the parade in early January. One fellow, for weeks, asks me every time he sees me, "Are we going to be in the parade again this year?" And every time he asks I assure him that we are definitely going to be there. He grins in anticipation. Another member, a woman who I see regularly, doesn't ask me about the parade she just says, "I'm marching in the parade again this year." It's become their event, their celebration, part of their personal stories. We march and we hand out cards with information about the "R-word" letting people know how much words hurt. We have two messages, one we hand out on cards and one that comes from just being there. No more shame, no more shadows, no more silence - we're home for good.
Again this year in working with the Saint Patrick's Day Committee has been so easy and so simple. They do so much work, yet they never seem to be rushed, never seem to be overwhelmed by questions, they are astonishing both for what they do but also for how they do it. Never once have I ever felt anything but their incredible warmth and their amazing welcome.
Warmth and welcome.
Perhaps that's why, one day a year, we all celebrate a world that could be.
Perhaps.
12 comments:
Green is gang colours. It means you side with Irish Catholics against the Orangemen - the Protestants who invaded Ireland in the 1690s. In more contemporary, North American terms, it means you side with the Irish who immigrated during the famine, against their British oppressors. We are all Irish because we all fought England (though we didn't in Canada.)
I am of Irish Catholic descent; my beloved is from Holland which is still ruled by the House of Orange. So today we are celebrating with a Green & Orange party, with green and orange food.
Dave, you just moved SPDay up to my top three holidays. Never thought about the inclusivity aspect of it. (Though, with a nod to ALison, we'll be doing green and orange this year.)
My view is that green is a metaphor (and much more). As such, its meaning is variable and functional, depending upon the needs, interests, and context of each party. No one single person truly owns green. Human beings can use metaphors for hate or love. For me, that's why the word, "family," for example, is functional. Real family is functional. That's also the difference between "yes," which too often means no, and "care," which too often means neglect. That's just my own view. You know what would be a great book? A comparison of Dave on language with someone like David Foster Wallace.
Just a follow up on the previous comment. There's obviously many categories other than "hate" and "love." Didn't mean to imply, in the previous message, that Catholics or Protestants hate, love, or whatever. Sometimes our vision is dimmed by various factors, that's all. Actually, I was thinking about George Mitchell's attempt to get those guys together with humor. He tried to bridge differences by getting all parties to laugh. BTW, I'm new to blogging, so if I do something inappropriate, please just let me know, no worries. Thanks, Dave.
I also love the inclusiveness of St Patrick's day. Where I live, the city's gay district becomes one huge crazy party -- it's swarming with people, all wearing green and drinking and having a kick ass time.
I think it's inclusive because Irish Americans and Canadians don't take their heritage too seriously. Most of our families have been in North America so long that we don't have any real connection to Ireland, or even to an Irish community. Most of us have a mix of ethnic heritages. So being Irish isn't something that separates us from other people -- we think about it once per year, on St Patrick's day, and we're happy to share the day with everyone. If you like booze and/or food, this day is for you.
In some cities in the US, there has been a history in which gay organizations were excluded from participating in the traditional St. Patrick Day marches. (I'm not sure if this exclusion still goes on, though if it does I assume it is in fewer cities than it was in the past.) I gather from your tone that this at least has not happened in Toronto or you would surely remember, but has it happened elsewhere in Canada?
I'm noticing that frame of reference really isn't an issue in a genuine community.
http://www.mandtsystem.com/blog/the-perils-of-email/
"On the shelf I arranged the words, is, in, wardrobe. Nothing delighted me so much as this game. My teacher and I played it for hours at a time. Often everything in the room was arranged in object sentences." --Helen Keller
Happy Saint Patrick's Day
I don't often disagree with you Dave, but Alison is right. Although we often forget it on this continent. St Patrick's is a religious holiday and about Catholic vs Protestant. And also about class. It doesn't seem very inclusive to me. The violence hasn't been gone that long in Ireland.
But since my husband was born on St Patrick's day, we celebrate the day anyway.
Sharon
Thanks everyone for your comments. Mike I went to the link that you provided thinking, because I just scanned the link you provided and thought that it was 'the penis of emails' and was, almost, disappointed to see it was the PERILS of email!! So point well taken. As you noticed ... I too like words a lot. Loved the Keller quote.
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