Deep in fairy forest,
A cheery fire burns—
Around it dance the leprechauns
With mesmerizin’ turns.
Their ginger hair a swirlin’,
They sing of misty dreams,
Of brilliant archin’ rainbows,
Of gold that ever gleams.

And with the smoke a risin’,
Up thru shadowed trees,
They throw their four-leaved clovers
Out upon the breeze.
And pray that lovely Lady Luck
Will carry them afar,
To the place of happiness
Where all the treasures are.

Yet deep in fairy forest,
What leprechauns don’t know,
In spite of all their wishin’
And their singin’, dancin’ show;
Is a treasure far more precious
Then all the world could hold—
For you my darlin’ li’l one
Are more valuable than gold.

---

St. Patrick’s Day is one of those small, simple celebrations in my life.  It is the one day of the year I have corned beef and cabbage (which I love).  It also symbolizes spring for me, with thoughts of green clovers, warmer days, and an end to winter’s snow.

It is also a day to remember childhood.  One of my earliest memories is of a St. Patrick’s Day.  Mom had told me that on this one day of the year we are supposed to wear green.  If someone doesn’t wear this important color you can pinch them.  What my angel mother forgot to say, was that we should keep this pinching stuff just to family members.  With this important clarification not expressed, I took it upon myself to pinch my non-green-wearing nursery teacher right on the tush!  To this day I can still remember the jump of alarm, the shock, the embarrassment, and the very personal and lasting learning of this previously mentioned, unspoken rule about pinching!

Without children of my own, thinking of childhood makes me also think of my little nieces and nephews.  What would I want them to learn?  What would I want them to feel?  What would I want them to know?  The answer: their infinite worth.

And somehow, I feel another Father wants each of us, His children, to know the same thing.

Written: April 1, 2019