Learning Curve

Another day, another photo (or two!)  of curious creatures in County Clare…

Out for another walkabout on these winding roads & rocky pathways of rural Ireland, where some days you’re nearly as likely to encounter a tractor as a car or truck when you’re out for a ramble, in this peaceful place where the silence is like a presence, where the farm animals perk up their ears at the sound of the footfalls of your boots approaching and turn to watch you make your way home. (I generally greet them with a fond “Hello”!)

While here in the West of Ireland, I’m learning a lot about life in this place in these times, and getting pretty good at remembering which side of the road to walk on– learning to drive on the left, in a stick-shift vehicle, is on the list of tasks to be mastered *eventually*; for now, I’ve been growing accustomed to life as a passenger on errand- runs along the long winding roads that take us to towns several miles away, instead of walking or taking a bus and/or ferry to reach my intended destinations, as has mostly been my way of getting around during the 25 years!

Even had the experience last night of the-road-to-Crusheen being blocked by the neighbours’ cows out for an evening saunter– had heard tales of needing to wait for sheep or cattle to move along on the country roads of Ireland, but hadn’t yet seen such a thing ’til yesterday, amidst my 7th time over here since I first visited back in 1989….

The situation where I’ve *most* encountered the learning curve, though, this week, is in creating this blog– to the point last night of chanting “learning curve, learning curve, learning curve” inside my head ~and~ out loud when, despite a supposedly-saved draft, the lengthy post I’d been crafting throughout the day vanished into the aethers. Adding layers of skills and insights, though, as I teach myself to navigate these new paths.

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Also much on my mind this week, as referenced in that very-first-blog-post, is the looming inauguration of Donald Trump.

Tomorrow.

Ouch.

But “ouch” does not even begin to capture the deeply felt sorrow and concern that have weighed upon my spirit for many months now, as this event has drawn ever closer. I’ve had to severely limit my consumption of media this week, as it’s just so intensely painful to be confronted with the sounds & images of this surreal event actually moving forward, to consider the implications for so many people I know & love in the U.S. and all over this planet we share, the fine folks I am privileged to call family & friends & neighbours & acquaintances, fellow fans of music and arts and culture and celebration and justice and equality and unity….

More about some of those layers of connection in my next post, but for now, I’m going to get a little heavy, a little raw, because the pain is very real and my soul is truly hurting, and I know that others of you out there are feeling similarly. Though it’s a rare sunshiny afternoon in Ireland at the moment, I feel compelled to share this rather intense song that has been haunting me ever since that long dark agonizing devastating Election Night. It breaks my heart how much the chorus of this one rings true for me right now– I AM afraid of (some) Americans, and I am afraid for America. 

So, more to come soon– still working on my love letter to America/ Americans as a way to process through this impending inauguration; you are invited to do so too… ❤ ❤