Thinking Viscerally

We are here to visit family, and the origins of family. Like just about all people of Irish descent, much of our families originated from people who emigrated from Ireland.

We spent today at the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum (nope, that's the name not a description), and I had thoughts. Thoughts from what the museum spoke about, thoughts I've had all my life, thoughts that come from encounters with what my heritage means to me, to my family, people like me.

There will be a lot of posting about this, so be prepared (probably to skip over). But the thing I'm thinking about right now is this:

Photo from the Internet

This is a lamp set in the Irish President's home: Áras an Uachtaráin. It is a light meant for all of the Irish Diaspora. A light meant to guide and welcome them to their homeland. Mary Robinson, the first woman to serve as President of Ireland in 1990, was also the first president to shine this light. Every president since has kept it going.