100,000 Welcomes?!

Living in the Upper Midwest of the US for many years has been a wonderful experience.  However, one aspect of our stay here has been the decided lack of lingual variety.  I realized a while back, as I was watching Kenneth Branagh’s, “Much Ado About Nothing”, my ears had become dull.  It took me a full 30 minutes before I could fully engage with the language and the lilt of the Elizabethan tongue.  After tuning my ears to Shakespeare’s melodious words, I fully enjoyed all the “Ado”.

It was probably my upbringing in New York, but I have always been drawn to the voices and dialects different from my own.  The Deep South, New England, and Boston are regions I enjoy listening to.  Now, when I am in the company of anyone from the British Isles, it is like attending a symphony by a choice philharmonic orchestra, giving me hours of listening pleasure.

As part of my preparation for cultural immersion into all things Irish, I have been “tuning” my ears by listening to RTE Radio online.  I have especially enjoyed Radio Na Gaeltachta of RTE.  One morning as I was at my desk listening to RTE, my wife walked by, stopped came back and asked, “What in the world are you listening to?” “That, my dear is Irish,” I replied.  “We are in deep trouble!” she said as she turned and walked away.  I laughed.  While we may not be able to relate linguistically, I believe there is a “spirit” which transcends language barriers.

How could one be in “trouble” in a country whose common greeting is “cead mile failte”.  Any place which greets you with “a hundred thousand welcomes” has to be a very special place for visitors.  How many countries, or what other country has ever set aside an entire year for visitors?  I've never heard of it!  Have you?  http://www.thegatheringireland.com/ +The Gathering Ireland 

Hospitality is a mindset, not a skill-set to be learned.  Granted, there are skills which facilitate being hospitable.  Hospitality begins in the heart.  The Irish seem to have just such a heart.  While an enlarged heart can cause serious health dilemmas, hospitality, on the other hand, cannot happen without a larger than normal heart.  People who possess this attribute, this gift, are saying, “I have room in my heart for you.  You are welcome.  Come in.”

My parents are such people. Growing up, we were just as likely to have complete strangers at our home as friends or family.  This happened at the house and on the road.  While camping across the US one summer, very few of our meals were just the four of us.  My mom or dad would meet someone, strike up a conversation and the next thing you know, they are sitting at our dinner table.  On one visit home, my soon to be bride remarked, “Do you parents do this kind of thing all the time?” She was referring to them bringing strangers home.  It wasn't until that very moment I realized everyone isn't like that.

I think my parents have passed on their “gift”.  Just prior to this writing, there were 27 people in our dining room (and hallway leading to the dining room).  Some were relatives from in town, others were relatives from out of state and yet others were “new/old” friends from far away.

In just a few days, we will be headed to the land of “100,000 welcomes”.  Who wouldn't feel at home in a place like that? Even if I can’t understand the language, I am sure I will understand the heart.