Ireland

Last night I was thinking about some great places to visit if the opportunity ever came and I couldn't help but to think of Ireland. I have a friend who is actually FROM Ireland and you just have to hear her accent, it's "lovely" as she would say. :o) I don't know what it is about accents, but I just LOVE them! Especially Italian ones, LOL
(above is a picture of Northern Ireland. I googled images just to see the lush beauty and WOW, the little red flowers are called Fuchsia and are my FAVORITE! Also very popular flower/bush in Italy (my mother-in-law's fave flower)

I lived in Massachusetts from the age of 14 to 21 and loved it there! Of course it was full of the Irish and there was an older Irish woman who was like a mom to me. Her name was Grace and I loved everything about her! She had a heart of gold, a mouth of a truck driver, and a smile that would stop traffic. She had the most amazing blue eyes that were so warm that you couldn't help but to love her. AND she was a touchy feely type person which is what I grew up around, always hugging and kissing people so I felt at home with her from day 1. It's so funny how in this country you can see so much the diversity of people and culture . . . some curse, others are appalled by it;some meet you and hug you immediately,others are SUPER uncomfortable with touch and their personal space; some would NEVER speak a word of disrespect towards their elders, where some could care less about the elderly in general; Values vary from one house to the next . . . Now don't get me wrong, diversity can be good. It's just when you move out of a community, culture, environment where what "YOU" do and say and behave is the "norm" , it's hard to feel like you belong anymore.

So what do you do then? I ask myself this all the time. We now live in Texas where well, people aren't like what we're used to. We've met some pretty incredible friends, no doubt, but they are all very different. Some people may take offense to the way I speak, the way I behave, or the things I do. But I am fortunate to have been given some amazing friends that share the same values in their heart even though some behavior or culture may be different. I had a long conversation with a close friend about the difference in life here in Texas , life in Florida, life in the Northeast and yes, the New England area will ALWAYS be my favorite , but living here in Texas is where I've GROWN the most. I've experienced some amazing relationships, some good some bad, but I wouldn't change either! Being OUT OF your COMFORT zone is how you GROW! And MAN it's not easy....it's stressful at times, but wow how fulfilling it can be.

Okay so I got off track about my vacation dreams. I was talking to my friend Sabrina (Irish Gal) and she told me stories about her favorite places to visit and her number one?? ITALY! It's so easy to travel to Italy when you live in Ireland and wow, now I have a place to stay when we are privileged enough to go over seas for a vacation one day and I will actually be able to go to the two places I've always wanted to visit!! AND NOW I'LL HAVE FRIENDS THERE TOO... (Sabrina, we need to go together FOR SURE!) :o)

Well, enough of my daydreaming . . . I'm off to get ready to start my day!
Have a GREAT WEEKEND!!!