Days 218-219 Blessing; Are You

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand. -Irish Blessing

This blessing was inscribed on a ceramic wall plaque in my childhood home. Those words caused my heart to smile and connected me to a heritage that I knew of only through my mom’s retelling of my grandmother’s stories. Remembrances of grandma's growing up years and her adventurous spirit; courageously leaving home alone at age 17 for a foreign land and sadly, one that she was never able to return home to visit loved ones.

A dream came true; one that my grandmother Kate never realized, nor my mom. As family emissary, I carried their love with me as I met our relatives in County Kilkenny in 2011. Beautiful to recall is how our cousins brought their love from Ireland to my mom (late in life) and very soon my sister, Pat and family will visit their homestead.

While in Kilkenny I experienced our relatives most generous, kind and exceedingly warm hospitality as a blessing that will always be with me. I in turn, extend this blessing to you…

May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near. -Irish Blessing

Reflection & watercolor by Liz Sorensen Wessel

Published by

swiftlyunabashed93c6d9b23b

Categories: Reflections, Holidays, Spirituality

Tags: County Kilkenny, Erie Chapman Foundation, family, Ireland, Irish Blessing, Journal of Sacred Work, Liz sorensen Wessel

8 responses to “Days 218-219 Blessing; Are You”

Tina OBrien

August 4, 2018 at 6:48 am

Liz – This is wonderful to read and I am so glad you reconnected with Irish relatives. Years ago my husband and I took his Irish mother back for a visit. She was in her late 80s as were her two remaining sisters. She saw her old homestead in Nenagh. Co. Tipperary, and my father in law’s home about 50 miles from Nenagh. They met on the ship coming to America in 1919! Much more to their story… thank you for causing me to think about her this morning!

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Terry Chapman

August 4, 2018 at 6:52 am

Fascinating story of family roots! You will always carry them with you wherever you travel. And like seeds, your stories of your ancestry will yield fruitful relationships and warm memories in many lifetimes for you and those you touch.
My ancestry is largely British on my fathers side and French Canadian on my mother’s side. My research suggests an interesting mixture of steadfastness and pure devilry and delight in those persons from both sides! I treasure a 1792 oil painting of my 4th Gt. Grandfather General James Hughes of the British Army, who was in charge of British troops in Montreal for more than 50 years, having joined British troops in Cork, Ireland (I am 5% Irish)and died at age 85 in 1823. Our collectives pasts enrich us as we travel on, striving to be simply: ourselves!

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Maureen McDermott

August 4, 2018 at 11:33 pm

How gifted we are in our heritage and what has been passed on through the various generations. Like yourself Liz, I am grateful for the Celt in me which is quite dominant with both maternal and paternal great grandparents emigrating from Ireland. May we not only give thanks for our wonderful parents but also for the people who gave up so much in leaving their homeland and settling in new countries as many are continuing to do every day. May their heritage enrich us.

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erie chapman

August 5, 2018 at 2:15 pm

And what an incredible emissary you are, Liz – to us as well as to so many others. You have lifted up the sacred legacy and you launched what you wrote with such a glorious and uplifting watercolor – a complete, bright, cheerful & rich rendering – your whole family line & the most joyful part of your legacy in one work of art.

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~liz Wessel

August 12, 2018 at 9:20 am

Tina, thanks so much for your thoughtful comment and for sharing about your trip to Ireland. What a blessing for your inlaws and indeed a blessing for you and your husband to experience with them…nd now a most treasured memory.

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~liz Wessel

August 12, 2018 at 9:26 am

Terry, thanks for sharing from your rich family history and what a sacred treasure to be caregiver for the painting of your 4th great grandfather! What a great closing quote, “Our collective pasts enrich us as we travel on, striving to be simply:ourselves!”

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~liz Wessel

August 12, 2018 at 9:35 am

Yes, your name speaks to our shared heritage Maureen! I appreciate and am reminded by the blessing you offer to all immigrants, the terrible plight of so many refugees from around the world who are seeking a safe harbor and are encountering danger and difficculties at every turn. May we see our brother as oursleves, as one human family and as you so eloquently say “may heritage enrich us.”

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~liz Wessel

August 12, 2018 at 9:41 am

Thank you do much, Erie and I am reminded of what an enriching experience and legacy you have created in your significant contributions to fostering cultures of Radical Loving Care in healthcare and in menotoring leaders through your lifetime. I am most grateful too for sacred gifts you have bestowed upon my life that I carry with me.

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