Tuesday, March 17, 2009

for those confused outsiders....

if you've seen any of my siblings' blogs today and been completely confused, let me explain... when i was younger, i had quite the imagination. i mean, a really really active imagination. one of my many imaginative victims was st. patrick's day.

i have no idea how it started (keep in mind though, i was also a very gullible child), but my best friend and i believed that there truly was a real live leprechaun named, of course, Lucky. much to the dismay of her mom (unknown to us at the time) and the glee of my sisters, we would sometimes spend our time together, making "gifts" for our little friend. we'd hide them behind a rock, or place them in a small area, announce to Lucky that the coast was clear, and then walk away. after counting to about 100 "child seconds" (aprox. 30 to the rest of the world) we'd come back to the site where the treat was placed. sometimes, we'd find it replaced by a little note, or even a return gift, or sometimes, it was just the same treat we had left for him. this was a year-round tradition, not particualarly attatched to st. patrick's day, until the holiday came. otherwise, lucky was his own separate part of our imaginations. looking back, i think it was an excuse to find magic in the every day routine of life. and no worries, it worked.

so, on to the big day...
ST. PATRICK'S DAY!! My mom was very much at fault for this part of Lucky's existance in my life. on St. Patrick's day, she always did scavenger hunts for us younger siblings around the house. These were supposed to be from Lucky and were just a fun tradtion to have, we all knew that they weren't really from him (at least as far as i can remember, i knew...) but it just added to the magic of the day for me. i remember in elementary school going out for recess on st. patrick's day (and sometimes other days too) and searching for Lucky's footprints in the sand of the playground, or looking for any other remnants of his being there.

the thought that a happy (and very clever) little green leprechaun could actually exist (much like Santa and the Easter Bunny for other kids) made things magical to me. and now, not only does it give me something to smile about, but st. patrick's day is an especially happy day for me, because i get to celebrate memories i have with emily. in almost every childhood memory i have tied to this holiday, emily was right there beside me. she is one of my hereos. st. patrick's day is and always will be for me one of my favorite days becuase i get to remember those happy memories, but more importantly the support that emily has given me for the past fourteen years.


the holiday still gets me all gittery and happy inside, i can't help but still feel the magic of it! this morning, as i was driving to seminary, without even thinking it, i thought i saw a small movement in the dark, and automatically thought: "it must be Lucky!"

so, i hope y'all are wearing your green today!!! Lucky will gettcha if you don't! watch out too, he's quick! and thanks to the fam, for making the memories come even moreso alive! i loved it!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!


love,
laree...
and Lucky too



6 comments:

ellen said...

I knew there would be a good story behind all your siblings' blogging today! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

klap said...

hehehe....what was the loot??
and I never realized that you were THAT into lucky!!! Wow! we love you!

Jim and Lisa said...

Me neither...I must not have been one of the sisters. Yeah, we all want to know that y'got!

Wendster said...

That was a great story!

Wendy in So Cal

Wendster said...

(p.s. I am surprised that Ellen isn't on your list of favorite photographers!)

CMHill said...

awww, wow! what you get? what you get?