How to be Irish on Saint Patrick's Day.

March 17th, 1996. My mother is holding a VHS tape in front of my younger sister, Alison, and me. We are 12 and 14 years old respectively. 

"Guess what we are watching today!" She says with a smile and twinkle in her Irish eyes. My jaw dropped. Alison spoke up before I had a chance to voice my identical opposition.

"But Mo-om," protested Alison. "We watch that same tape every year."

The VHS Tape in contention was an animated biography of Saint Patrick. Alison and I found it entertaining the first time we saw it--in the late 1980s. However, our mother is perfect. The multitude of 1/2 Irish, 1/2 Italian novelty mugs, t-shirts and sweaters can't be wrong. Also, she got a 1590 on her SAT. 

Passing the torch: my nephew brings style and flair to the parade.

"I want you to watch it again," she says. And without further debate, she puts the tape into the VCR. 

The animated story had long lost its luster, but at least my sister and I had a better sense of the real man and what he really did as opposed to the childish myth that serious adults cling to, despite ease of just being able to look up Saint Patrick on Wikipedia. 

Here is the condensed version of what is widely agreed upon: Patrick was 16 year-old living in Britain when he as captured by Irish raiders and held as a slave. During this time, he found salvation in his Christian faith. Six years later, Patrick was able to escape back to Britain and re-unite with his family. After studying religion more deeply, Patrick decided to return to Ireland to convert the Irish to the Christianity. 

Some people say Patrick robbed the Irish people of their native religion, but slavery and human sacrifice just weren't that popular compared to Patrick's message of freedom and mercy. It would probably explain the man's overwhelming, enduring popularity, as well as the mythical story that he banished snakes from Ireland (Snakes are widely interpreted as a metaphor for the druids). 

The map of Ireland is on her face, and mine too. Thanks, Mom.

The bottom line is that Saint Patrick was a messenger of love,  and Irish by choice. Pedantic people may say otherwise, but his biography leaves little margin for debate. Being Irish is to love and be loved. Being Irish is to stand up for oppressed people everywhere. Being Irish is to wax poetic, have a good sense of tragedy, and flair to entertain. For some, Irish is something a person is born into. I was brought into this world hearing the poetry of W.B Yeats. For this, and so many other reasons, I am eternally grateful.

But that's just my story. We all can be Irish, and we can do so any and every day of the year. And by the way, if those dimwitted drunkards at the parade could learn how to hold their alcohol in public, that would be a step in the right direction. With that said, Happy Saint Patrick's Day!