Kindness across the ocean

I just returned from a trip to the Emerald Isle. Two of my dearest old friends were my companions throughout the journey. Words like "enchanting," "spectacular," and "stunning" describe Ireland perfectly. If you've ever been there, you know what a magical place it is. The scenery is breathtaking. The food, delightful. The history, interesting and at times heartbreaking. And then there is the weather! Well, we must have had the luck of the Irish with us, because the weather was mostly gorgeous.

All of these things helped make our vacation a very special one. But what set this trip apart was the kindness of the Irish people. Nearly everyone we met was genuinely kind. Our driver, Savio, was thoughtful and made sure we were comfortable. All of the tour guides were terrific — a young student named Athena who led the tour of Trinity College was especially sweet. We met a local poet named Francis in a restaurant in Kilkenny, and he was a joy to talk with. Our servers at the restaurants were all great — Sophia at Man Friday's in Kinsale was particularly attentive and kind. Jimmy Kelly, a cutter/engraver at the Waterford factory, took time to share the love and passion of his craft. Two young women servers at Beans and Leaves in Athlone conversed with us, and they made us feel that we mattered. Michael, our jarvey, told us tales of his family and of the history of the Gap of Dunloe. (Do you know what a jarvey is? If not, I encourage you to look it up!)

Before I left for Ireland, I printed off 25 or so "Kindness Medallions" — small round pieces of cardstock with a bit of my artwork and the words "Kindness Matters" printed on the paper. On the reverse side, I wrote: "Thank you for your kindness." I handed these out to the people we met to show my gratitude, including the ones I've described above. It felt good to see many of them respond with gratitude in return.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell you how fortunate I was to travel with two exceptionally kind people. Liz and Kathleen have been my friends for a long time, and it was wonderful to tour this amazing island with them. Kathleen, having been to Ireland multiple times in recent years to visit family, researched and planned the entire trip for us. It ensured that we had no worries and were able to focus on enjoying the experience. Thank you, dear friend, for this special gift!

I hope you get to experience the enchantment that is Ireland. You won't regret it.

If you have a story you'd like to share here in the Fernandina Observer — about a neighbor or friend or stranger or business that showed kindness, or about kindness and compassion in general — please contact Peggie Weeks at pegweeks@gmail.com