Mary Byrne Eigel
March is here. Nature is greening and Spring is in the air. Being of Irish descent, I love that this month is also filled with St. Pat celebrations and parades. Above is a digital print I made by compositing personal photos from the Claddagh area of Galway, Ireland.
Reflecting on pain and our own personal concepts of pain, I realize that much of how I feel is related to the values of my family of origin, Byrne. Reading books by Morgan Llweelyn like Lion of Ireland or The Last Prince of Ireland, she portrays the unbelievable strength of the Irish people to struggle against the odds and personal pain. My father endured much physical pain but you would never catch him acknowledging it. He just persevered. I know that I have fought hard not to let pain rob me of my dreams. I am not sure this was always the most sensible response, but it was definitely a learned response. I am thankful that I have discovered more educated ways to deal with pain and see that in Ireland today there are Pain Management clinics and organizations like Chronic Pain Ireland that respect the fact that we need to use wisdom and resources and not just sheer determination in regards to pain.
Mary Byrne Eigel 