I started writing this about five different times in five different ways. It never got any easier, so I figured I might as well write something down and stick with it. As one of my favorite professors once said, “You have no thoughts until you write them down.” I certainly have many thoughts. I guess I’ll now have to commit to writing them.
I am writing this from my bed in New Jersey. Yes, you read that correctly. I’m back in New Jersey. My House of Brigid journey came to an early end because of that pesky foot injury back in February. It turns out I needed surgery, so back to the States I went.
It is very difficult to string together coherent sentences when in that very act you are condensing two years of your life into these final strokes on the keyboard. I am a nostalgic person (read my thesis if you don’t believe me) and you can confirm with anyone who knows me that I’m no good at summaries. I put too much emphasis on all the seemingly inconsequential details.
But that’s what these last two years boils down to: those tiny details, inconsequential upon first review. It’s the little moments that shape us into the people we are and form the relationships with the people we come to love. Every time I walked up the steps to the choir gallery, every time I sat on the couch in the office waiting for morning prayer to begin, every time I saw a person’s eyes light up when they spoke of a favorite song from that evening’s Taize–those are the moments that changed me. Even though I fell in love with Ireland almost instantly, the little moments are what I will cherish most. I met so many remarkable people who left their marks on me. I am unable to sufficiently record it all.
I left Dublin with a heavy heart. In the span of one week I had to pack up what had been my life and say goodbye to the people who were my chosen family. Yes, I was returning to my parents and siblings and friends from college, but I couldn’t imagine life without my friends from the Newman Church community. I still can’t. While technology makes it far easier to keep in contact and stay in the loop with everyone back in Ireland, I’m eagerly awaiting the day I can see them all again in person when I visit.
One of the very first things Ben, Caitlin, and I did upon our arrival last year was learn a trio version of “The Parting Glass” with the expectation that we would use it as our Party Piece. Lo and behold, we never actually sang it outside of that initial rehearsal back in September, but it was something we occasionally joked about. It only feels fitting to close my journey with the song that began it all.
Oh all the money that e’er I spent
I spent it in good company
And all the harm that e’er I’ve done
Alas, it was to none but me
And all I’ve done for want of wit
to memory now I can’t recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all
Oh all the comrades that e’er I’ve had
Are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e’er I’ve had
Would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise and I’ll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all
Good night and joy be with you all
It has truly been my greatest privilege to live as a House of Brigid Fellow in Dublin for the last two years. The memories I’ve made and the people I’ve met will fill me with joy forever.
With love,
Kelly
P.S. I am excited to share with you that I will be continuing my Notre Dame journey with another two years of service through the Alliance for Catholic Education. In June I begin Master of Education courses and on August first I begin my job as a middle school Language Arts teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
