I’d don’t think I would be pushing it to say that the Child of Aran is one of the most blessed and fortunate children on God’s earth.
The Child of Aran is born into an island of ; culture , tradition , heritage , language , song , sea , poetry , landscape , identity, family , music , community , belonging , nature , first names , open skies , warm welcomes , intimacy ……
He is born into the warmth of a caring community that knows him from the very day he is born, and most poininently to the day his heartbroken parents bring him down to the boat to tearfully, sadly & painfully say goodbye to their darling child who is leaving the nest with a heart full of excitement and adventure.
They smile, hug tightly and say goodbye — their heart silently breaks as the boat pulls away.
Every bit of love that was ever known to them and more, is sent with a heart and a half to their baby aboard.
They learn to live with this brutal and necessary part of life and while the treasured memories don’t fill that empty space they are worth more than any gold could be.
Up to this point, our child of Aran, is blissfully unaware as to the rarified and priveledged childhood he’s been lucky enough to enjoy.
This all changes ……
When he leaves the bossom of this beautiful , windswept rock and enters the world – bit by bit , he will gradually come to realise the wonderful place that he was so blessed to be born in to.
He will become deeply aware through seeing the world, of the treasured and priceless gifts that were bestowed freely upon him through his Aran childhood – these beautiful revelations often come slowly but come clearly.
This is a kind of Spiritual Awakening that fills our child with an overwhelming sense of gratitude , awareness and belonging. The more people and situations he encounters the more grateful and blessed he will feel.
He will, in time, understand that he came from the last place on earth that God made and that he stands on the shoulders of Giants.
He leaves the island but the island never leaves him — he will return.
More from my beloved Island soon.
Conor Meehan.