Fond Memories Of St. Patrick’s Day

Every St. Patrick's day I wake up thinking about my Grandmother. She had such a huge impact on my life. Her parents immigrated to upstate New York in the mid 1800's from County Cork, Ireland. Nana, as we called her, was so proud to be Irish. As a young boy she taught me everything about her heritage, and I realized it was also an important part of my heritage. When my sister and I would stay at her house she would wake us up every morning by playing the piano and singing " When Irish Eyes Are Smiling". Every year she would mail me a St. Patrick's day card and she never forgot, no matter where I was living. My children are named Erin and Ryan because of her influence. And when they were both young my wife would sing " An Irish Lullaby" to them, a song she learned from Nana. Nana passed away several years ago at the ripe age of 91.  An exceptional women , and I miss her. I know there will be no card in the mailbox today, but her spirit lives on.