Desperately seeking Spaights

My family is scattered to the four corners of the globe and I had hoped this past July to visit one particular section of one of those corners.  There are those who call it Eire or Ireland and there are others who call it the Emerald Isle, but my grandparents simply called  it  "back home", for you see it was the land of their birth and youth.

I carefully prepared for my visit.  I was thorough and I researched more and more as each day passed.  After finding hotels and scheduling train trips and notifing relatives,  I was confident in assuming that I covered all of my bases. Still no matter how many "i's I had dotted and how many "t's" I had crossed, it wasn't until I heard the awful snap of my wife's ankle that I remembered the old adage,"The best-laid plans. . . often go awry" 

Although the anticipated visit to Ireland was postponed, I never stopped envisioning that magic land.  I wondered if the rolling hills in Clare were really as soft and lush as I had heard, or if rainbows appeared after each rainfall like on post cards.  Is it possible that the library of Dublin looked that grand and majestic or do the waters of the Shannon remain so uncomparably still.  I needed to know if the lads and lassies there are always smiling and helpful. Do they treat even strangers like their own, or are all these questions only true in my dreams.

You can me resolve my conundrum, dear reader.  All I ask is your time.  "But, what could I ever  possibly do?" you may ask.

My answer, "Well, it's quite simple.  Instead of me dreaming each day I was in Ireland, you could bring Ireland here to me"

This is why I am asking my overseas friends and relatives, no need your name is or was Spaight, just to send me a heartfelt note of good cheer.