Heritage: Our Warrior Within...
I descend - apparently, according to all the Celtic and geneology books I pored over when I should have been studying what I had paid to study (!) - from an ancient Celtic Tribe listed as the Tuatha De Danaan.
Sounds great huh?
Now, considering I had always had a closet love of Dana (OK, OK, for those of you only just out of diapers she was THE Irish singer back in the ...er...when I was growing up ...) and I had almost named my daughter either Tara ( a Queen from the exact same tribe ) or Shannon ( a river running through country of said tribe) - either Life is incredibly coincidental or I really do have the same warrior Celtic blood running through my ageing veins!
Ok then, it just sounds better than saying my ancient ancestors were the character's on Life of Brian who got hung with alarming regularity ( yes, that is possible in the world of Monty Python) - or the crew that bought the first fish into Fat Phil's at Botley. ( Yes, there really is such a fishing tackle shop and yes, Phil is indeed fat - I didn't believe it either on first encounter!) Alliteration aside I would prefer not to own up to either. Snobbery aside I am not sure that claiming bloodlines to a warlike savage Celt is much of a substitute but as I said, my heritage will 'out' and it feels somewhat more akin to the wildness that has been myself in earlier days and the vestiges of that which still remain!
Warrior: OED: noun; ( especially in former times)a brave or experienced soldier of fighter (from the French 'guerreier' - to make war.)
Mmmm, considering that my birth name Hourihane also means 'fearless warrior' what else is there to say?
Well, in terms of Life there could be an element of 'guerilla' warfare wending its way throughout my 'rich tapestry' :-)
One Adoption, Two Divorces ( not both my own, I add hurriedly and fortuitously?), 3 different families, 3 live it and learn it relationships, childbirth x 3, numerous house moves to satisfy the wanderer within yet one solid career path carved out early enough in the realisation that I was never going to be 'all that' in the relationship departments and much preferred my own devices!! Them or Me? Who cares now! Although I could run a book on two immediate warring parties forming on either side of the echo of that rhetorical question - one For the Fenian warrior, the other stridently F!'#4!! ?g against!!
Between the wars ( thank you Billy Bragg ) times were good - with the children times were good - Life in fact, has been pretty good so far. ..
'So what do you think of it so far?'
Regardless of true heritage - be it the local butcher or Prince Philip himself in his more careless moments! - can you truly answer that question?
I feel the Celtic run through my blood - every time I wake with dappled trees throwing shadows across the lawn, indulge in poetry from bygone times, amble through Nature, hear the trickle of the brook or sense the sun and moon directing my mood; tap my feet to the rush of fiddle and bodhran, melodiously sway to flute and harp - in particular sing a ditty alongside the penny whistle, such are my simplistic tastes....
What do you feel akin to, an affinity with, a preference for, a tangible need or urge to hanker back to?
This could indeed be YOUR heritage....your calling.
In Celtic lore they call this 'your Heart calling...' - the Soul within you that will not be denied that which feels right, feels good, feels strong.
They say the adopted child never loses their true sense of Identity despite carving out a new niche of their own. Like the fostered 'duckling' however they often awake one day and spread their beautiful wings to fly - the 'unnoticed' becoming the noticed now, the underdog staking his claim on Life.
Promise me whatever the hand Life dealt you that you are a warrior throughout - squaring your corner, fighting your personal battles when necessary but also resting in peace for longer periods, protecting your own yet allowing others in so that you can grow and develop.
If people are fearful they fear for themselves alone and often the 'unknown' element we warriors can bring to the table. We are not at war or in constant strife but we recognise each other from the underlying Strength that forges us all, regardless of background.
We need not lick our wounds if we have prevented others wounding us so severely.
We need not be on guard if we surround ourselves with others who 'know' our sensibilites and feed off our energies not drain them until we are but a shell of who we were.
So yes, I am a warrior , by heritage, perhaps by Nature, but I would call us Warriors of Experience and Light, equipped with Knowledge to fight that which is misunderstood, Patience to persevere with our own personal battles and Wisdom to leave the battlefield when we just know there is nothing left to fight for....
Find out who you are, where you come from, what passion burns brightly within , - if your roots are opaque or simply unknown then you have a blank canvas. Be whoever you wish....with a slight nod in your better moments to Brian, or Phil or that Norse God ....whoeverthehell he was!
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