In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (two days late, oh well), I decided to explore a bit of my ancestry—all 37.5% of it.
Some of the finest people in American History have been of Irish decent. That’s right from our founding fathers to Rock artists; Irish ancestry is probably the best thing to happen to America since that crazy Mick Andrew Jackson slaughtered an entire population of helpless natives so that he could expand his empire of BIG GOVERNMENT. With such wonderful presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, William Clinton and yes, our new president Barack Obama having the same whiskey flavored blood running through their veins, we can be sure that America rests in good hands. (I hope you can sense my sarcasm)
Charles Carroll represented the Catholic population of the 13 colonies at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, for he was the only Catholic to sign. While Irishwoman Molly Pitcher was fighting in the Revolution, the United States Navy helped with victory for the Continental Navy under the command of John Barry, who later was titled the Father of the United States Navy. Many others served for their country and paid the price of their life. Without Ulysses S. Grant leading the Union forces during the Civil War, the country may have fallen into the hands of a wonderful Irishman named Jefferson Davis, who would have continued slavery.
As for your artistic side, Walt Disney and all of his genius was more than half Irish. C.S. Lewis would challenge you to explore a world you do not know by going into a closet. A trip down memory lane would perhaps have you listening to Kurt Kobane, a wonderful Irishman who was made fun of for being from the great Emerald Isle. (you see, words can be hurtful) The words of F. Scott Fitzgerald would snap you out of your trip to the past when this Irishman tells you that “Everybody’s youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness.” You don’t want to drive yourself mad do you? Perhaps you do.
If you desire a life of madness perhaps you could find yourself amongst Billy the Kid, Lester Joseph Gillis (Baby Face Nelson), Kevin Kelly, or other Irish mobsters and criminals who had some sinful fun with those of Italian decent. But don’t think too much about the distant past.
And what about in recent history? Some of the best, most unbiased news comes from the mouths of good Irish-Catholics such as Sean Hannity, Peggy Noonan, and Bill O’Reilly. They speak about the wonderful Irish, Republican president Ronald Reagan and his wonderful successes in the White House. They defend the maverick from Russia’s backyard, Sarah Palin—oh bless her Irish heart, you know.
As you sit and ponder about how much of this blessed blood is in your own veins, remember that I, Matthew Higgins, grandson of William, the brother of Liam, have the universal donor blood, type O positive. I will gladly donate more to you if you ever needed it. I feel the need to keep the bloodline strong so that there will be more inventors like those who made the stethoscope and portable defibrillator, a politician like Ronald Reagan, a leader like George Washington, or a Pulitzer prize winning author like Frank McCourt.
The Irish are everywhere and in more places than you think. You better bite your tongue before you make your crude comments about drinking and disgusting slander towards one of the greatest peoples to ever walk this earth. Excuse me, I have to start this St. Patrick’s Day off right with a glass of Guinness, a shot of Jameson, an Irish car-bomb, a pint of McSorley’s, eat bangers and mash, pray the rosary, take another shot of Jameson, and sip the finest Single-Malt Whiskey in the World (Tyrconnell).
Éirinn go brách!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Do You Know How Fast You Were Going?
Instant Messaging, E-mail, text messages, blackberries, iPhones—all part of our 24-hour instant gratification, fast-paced society. I can’t wait for summer, I cannot wait for this semester to be over, I can’t wait to finally go on vacation. When did life become all about moving fast and always looking to take the next step? We are always looking for the next best thing. We need to have internet at our fingertips so we get the latest news, gossip, sports scores, or stock quotes. We need to have 1000 channels and DVR so we never miss American Idol or The Office in HD. But what are we missing out on by allowing these things to become a top priority?
Why can’t we slow things down? Have you ever lost your cell-phone or been without internet for a couple hours or Heaven-forbid an entire day? Why is it that we lose our minds if we get “cut-off” from our info-in-an-instant lifestyle? If we truly took time away and “shut up and listened” maybe we could see a world that is better than what we think of it.
For instance, how many times have we said or heard someone say, “I can’t wait for ____________.” Why can’t we wait? What is so horrible about the present that we NEED to move on? If we are constantly focusing on what needs to come next, we lose sight of the present and we lose the beauty of the moment. In my own life, I think about where I believe God is calling me to. When I think too much about that, I am filled with joy. Sounds great right? Well yes it is, but God’s calling is not something that we will one day accomplish, rather it is a daily process (shout out to Jon Hayes and the UNSTOPPABLE retreatants).
God calls us to serve Him and love Him DAILY. If I am constantly thinking, “I can’t wait to get engaged,” then I get engaged and I think, “I cannot wait until I am married,” then I get married and I think, “I cannot wait to have my first child,” then I have my first child and I think, “I cannot wait to have another,” then I have another child and I think, “I cannot wait until they grow up and I can teach them about life,” then they grow up and I teach them about life and I think, “I can’t wait for retirement,” then I retire and I think, “What’s next? What can’t I wait for? Death?”
If we are never happy with the here and now, we will never be truly happy. When we think about our current situation, we need to look at how we got there. What led us there? Where is it leading us? What are we learning from it? Is it fruitful and helping me grow in my relationship with God? The truth is, my brothers and sisters, that the here and now is the only thing we have control over. The here and now is the only thing we can experience. The past is done with, the future is in God’s hands—what matters is every single second of the present. Because, guess what? What we do in the here and now lays the foundation for the future. If we are constantly thinking of how much life stinks or how it could be better, we are laying the foundation for a future of more of the same.
Also, what happens if I get engaged, get married, but then am unable to have children? Will I constantly be waiting for the day where I will be happy when God blesses me with a child? Of course I will hope for such a blessing, but that does not mean that I discard the present and the blessings I am being handed within it. So whatever your current situation may be—struggling through school, waiting to get engaged, thinking about a career change, trying to have a child, or discerning your vocation, remember that the here and now is a gift and that is why it is called the present. So slow it down a bit, take it all in and rejoice. What is God calling you to do for Him TODAY?
Why can’t we slow things down? Have you ever lost your cell-phone or been without internet for a couple hours or Heaven-forbid an entire day? Why is it that we lose our minds if we get “cut-off” from our info-in-an-instant lifestyle? If we truly took time away and “shut up and listened” maybe we could see a world that is better than what we think of it.
For instance, how many times have we said or heard someone say, “I can’t wait for ____________.” Why can’t we wait? What is so horrible about the present that we NEED to move on? If we are constantly focusing on what needs to come next, we lose sight of the present and we lose the beauty of the moment. In my own life, I think about where I believe God is calling me to. When I think too much about that, I am filled with joy. Sounds great right? Well yes it is, but God’s calling is not something that we will one day accomplish, rather it is a daily process (shout out to Jon Hayes and the UNSTOPPABLE retreatants).
God calls us to serve Him and love Him DAILY. If I am constantly thinking, “I can’t wait to get engaged,” then I get engaged and I think, “I cannot wait until I am married,” then I get married and I think, “I cannot wait to have my first child,” then I have my first child and I think, “I cannot wait to have another,” then I have another child and I think, “I cannot wait until they grow up and I can teach them about life,” then they grow up and I teach them about life and I think, “I can’t wait for retirement,” then I retire and I think, “What’s next? What can’t I wait for? Death?”
If we are never happy with the here and now, we will never be truly happy. When we think about our current situation, we need to look at how we got there. What led us there? Where is it leading us? What are we learning from it? Is it fruitful and helping me grow in my relationship with God? The truth is, my brothers and sisters, that the here and now is the only thing we have control over. The here and now is the only thing we can experience. The past is done with, the future is in God’s hands—what matters is every single second of the present. Because, guess what? What we do in the here and now lays the foundation for the future. If we are constantly thinking of how much life stinks or how it could be better, we are laying the foundation for a future of more of the same.
Also, what happens if I get engaged, get married, but then am unable to have children? Will I constantly be waiting for the day where I will be happy when God blesses me with a child? Of course I will hope for such a blessing, but that does not mean that I discard the present and the blessings I am being handed within it. So whatever your current situation may be—struggling through school, waiting to get engaged, thinking about a career change, trying to have a child, or discerning your vocation, remember that the here and now is a gift and that is why it is called the present. So slow it down a bit, take it all in and rejoice. What is God calling you to do for Him TODAY?
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