“There is no safer place to be than where God wants you.”
Last month, I decided to take a trip to the Aran Islands. These rural islands off the coast of the Cliffs of Moher and Galway Bay have been on my Ireland bucket list from the moment I arrived in October 2021. With Saint Patrick’s Day and Holy Week on the horizon, I felt like my chances of exploring out west before leaving Ireland were dwindling. I asked a few friends if they were down to join me, but it wasn’t in the cards for them, making this my first solo trip ever. I was scared and nervous, in truth, but I knew this could be a trip worth taking a leap of faith for.
It just so happened that the day I boarded the afternoon train to Galway city, it was snowing and sleeting across Ireland. Having grown up with the bi-polar Colorado seasons, it didn’t cross my mind to check if the evening ferry I booked would still be going out to the islands. I sat back and watched the snowflakes fall before getting a message from my accommodation host letting me know that the conditions were worsening on Inisheer. I decided to call and see if the ferries would be sailing, and to my disappointment, the next ferry wouldn’t be taking off until the next morning. I was nearly to Galway at this point, but I had no place to stay in the city for the night. I tried not to panic, reminding myself that this isn’t the worst thing to have happened. I took a deep breath, then booked a cheap hostel to crash in for the night. I had made it this far and wasn’t going to let this bump in the road steer me away.
Once I arrived in Galway, I checked into my hostel and felt something shift inside me. Here I was with a free night in one of my favorite Irish cities. The craic in Galway is 90, as the Irish say. I wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. I signed up for a pub crawl in the hostel (something I never would have done before by myself) with hopes to meet some new friends and hear some solid live music. I ended up having a blast, drinking pints and meeting other solo travelers from Germany, Argentina, the US, and France. This is ok, I thought. I’m ok. I felt a tension lift from my shoulders.
The next morning, I boarded the first ferry to Inisheer. To my surprise, there were no longer any signs of a winter storm in the sky. The sun shone on the waves beneath me, and the islands beckoned in the distance. I felt giddy inside, like a child eager to open presents on Christmas morning. After docking, I remember stepping off the boat and feeling an immediate stillness. It was the quietest place I think I have ever been. The sound of my feet pressing against the gravel made a gentle crunch as I began to explore the island.
After wandering among the ancient stone fences and green pastures, I came to a point at the top of the island where I had a clear panoramic view of mainland Ireland. To my left stood the Connemara mountains, which softened into Galway Bay and the wild atlantic way. Next in sight was the Burren, eventually bleeding into the Cliffs of Moher. I could see everything in crystal clear view, and as the sun streamed down, I couldn’t help but cry. It was truly beautiful.
I felt so consoled and loved by God. I was alone, but I wasn’t lonely. I was exactly where I was supposed to be; basking in God’s creation. I felt His embrace. As I stared at the Irish landscape and watched the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash against the shores of Inisheer, I thought about my life, future, and the burdens I had been carrying. I breathed and everything suddenly felt lighter. Something about the rough and wild west of Ireland reminded me in that moment that my chaos, stress, and anxiety is bearable. I remembered what a mentor told me before I left for Inisheer: “There is no safer place to be than where God wants you.”In moments of fear and doubt, I need only to remember exactly that. Nowadays when I’m worried or concerned, I find myself thinking about my time on Inisheer. I close my eyes and remember the wind and the ocean spray. I can taste the salt on my tongue. I can feel my feet crunch against the gravel. I can see the west coast of Ireland. I breathe in and out and I think Thank you. God is with me. I’m safe and at peace, wrapped in His loving embrace. Thank you, God. Thank you for my life.
