Happy Saint Paddy’s Day, Los Angeles

This Irish holiday has circled the earth, found another year, and this time, it found me in Los Angeles. Saint Patrick’s Day is a bittersweet holiday for me, as I dearly miss my Emerald Isle, and all the poetic quirks about it, that are so much a part of who I am. It's a day of reflection, and comparisons about my life here and my life in Ireland. To see where I’ve grown or evolved, and where I’ve neglected and need to return to. Saint Patrick’s day is a day to take a good look at my current self. I'd love to share some of my Celtic thoughts with you today:

Serenity & Allowance to "Be": Like the Irish, California people are very friendly, with Creative & Holistic interests, and health & environmental concerns. I get along very well with California people. However, the simple & quiet things, I have to search hard for in this city. Aggressive traffic, billboards, adverts, lights, sirens, and city activity, makes it difficult to relax and find peace. I find it crucial to seek the little quiet nooks and somewhat forgotten places to recoup in the city. I think if a person neglects quiet time in LA, the stress can become overwhelming in this city.
LA people ask "what do you do for a living?" This is a difficult question for me to answer, since it’s a direct hit to the Irish custom of privacy. There are certain questions you don’t ask in Ireland; Age, Religion, Politics, Job title or income. In LA, these topics are asked, sometimes within five minutes of meeting someone. I crave the conversations that go so much deeper, and surface topics like what I do, are just not relevant. In Irish culture, nobody cares about age or job title. In essence, A person is just allowed to “BE”. I want to be allowed to just… BE…

Just... Be

A Frolicking Irish Day: Ireland’s late spring/summer daylight arrives at 6am and stays light until 11pm. I remember riding my bike till 10pm every Irish eve. All day, I'd passively enjoy the sights and sounds of nature, converse over a cuppa tea, and listen to music. A typical Irish day might be to wake up at noon, have Breakfast at the pub, then go outside to walk along the beach and watch the waves break at your feet. You could even bring along a whisky if you wanted. You won’t get arrested for drinking on an Irish beach, as you will in Santa Monica! Unlike LA, In Ireland, there’s not much traffic, and the roads are so narrow that you must stop to let an oncoming car pass you. There are no four lane highways, with hot red ferraris zipping in, out, and around everyone. And it's typical to see signs for 'Sheep crossing'. You can fit many activities into your day in Ireland. Visit different beaches, hike up a mountain, whistle on your way up… and nobody looks at you funny for singing or whistling in ireland. There’s always a farmhouse with a door open that welcomes you in for a cuppa tea. You pass the white washed cottages and smell the turf smoke coming out of the chimney. The sky is ever-changing from grey to blue all day. The sound of sea birds can be heard, along with the Ravens and Magpies. An Irish Day tends to be stress free. You wake up when you feel, get plenty of fresh clean air, move around outside and enjoy nature regardless of the rain, listen to music, and drink tea and tell stories... And on the topic of sex, you can have sex anytime you meet someone interesting at the pub. It's easy to get laid in Ireland

Irish Equality & Humility: It’s off to the local pub for your pint of Guinness and to listen to Music. Everyone is smiling and happy and chatty. Exchanging energy between musicians and the people in the pub. Everyone's equal and creating a unique energy that is 100% about making something universally magical for all to share equally. Original music is created on the spot, every night, never to repeat itself again. There's never a competition, never one talented person trying to outdo another talented person. And in fact, the Irish frown upon competitive personalities. You don’t want to throw out your business cards left and right in Ireland, or brag and say you're the best thing since Peanut Butter. The audience is equal to the musicians. They don't expect to be entertained. They are there to create energy too. Energy in an Irish pub is circular, and not one sided. Music's played for the simple love of playing music. And it becomes an entity on its own, that the musicians and audience accept and give in to. There's nothing more beautiful then seeing the mutual exchanges of energy in a pub. Where everyone is equal and essential for creating this energy. I hope all of you will experience what I'm describing... On a personal note, it’s been difficult for me in LA, as I come with Irish humility in my personality. I don’t go on about my talents and accomplishments. I'm a Celt, and I live and breathe creativity, but I'm not sure if LA is the right place for a humble Celt to thrive. Perhaps I was better suited for Old 1940's Hollywood, where the population was smaller, and a sturdy Irish spirit could well stand in front of Paramount gates and wave ’till her dream came true… This Saint Paddy’s Day, I’m dreaming of far away green hills. The ones I made wishes from, hoping one day to find fame and fortune in America. Now that I’m in LA, I find myself escaping to the quiet looming hills that surround this metropolis. I find more pleasure in hiking the Hollywood hills and writing poems, then I do in talking about my talents. Perhaps I will or will not 'make it here'. I don’t really talk the LA talk too well. If this place finds delight in a humble Lass, then I’ll know this is where I belong. If not, I'm happy that I tried. It was a fun journey!

Saint Patrick Day Wishes: As a Celt who crossed the Atlantic, drove across America, all the way to LA, with only a dream. It seemed appropriate to write and share with you, as this was my destination for so long. I hope you all have exactly the day you need to have. We all have our own ways of enjoying this Irish holiday, Some may want the parades, leprechaun hats, and green beer, but some of you may want, like myself to go into a quieter Celtic reflection. To let yourself fall into a magical reflection of the Celtic spirit. To soak in the silence and depths of Celtic secrets. Bypass the rushes of parades, green beer, and noises. Instead, sing, whistle, and listen to the birdsong, the crunch in the leaves as a cayote or deer tries to be silent along with you in the woods. Touch the salt of the Sea and taste it on your tongue. Bless the Sea, Sing to the Waves, Gently caress the bark of an old Tree, make love under the beautiful moon… Be a Celt and make this a beautiful Holiday. Make Ireland part of your soul this holiday.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from a Celt in Los Angeles, Cameo Knightley


-- Modified on 3/15/2013 10:41:44 PM