On Thursday I wake to signs of a visitor in the night, and the prints indicate a larger visitor than the one I imagine might have been able to squeeze through the opening in the window. But we are each ingenious when we need to be, yes?
And I wonder why, with the wild beauty of all of Ireland at his toe tips, he wants to join us inside for the evening?
And then again, why not? I’m certain this is the loveliest flat in all of Ireland, replete with charm and quirkiness and vistas of both town and countryside.
Alas, a closer inspection shows that he stepped tentatively only twice down the smooth tile walls before turning back. For this I am grateful, I suppose, but I wish him many interesting places to explore and, if they fit nicely, to stay awhile and become a part of the life there, just as I am. After all, I arrived a stranger too, without, as far as I know, an ounce of Irish blood in my French and English ancestry. But oh how this land and these generous and so very authentic souls have captured and welcomed me — how can I not do the same?
We are all explorers at heart, whether we long for distant lands, an intricate understanding of the lives of insects, an intimacy of home and family, or even a roadmap to the self. I wish a beautiful journey to all, and a warm and welcoming spot for the night.
exciraanddelira 