Traveling Across the Globe

"Ode to the Shamrock" There's a dear little plant that grows in our isle, 'Twas St. Patrick himself, sure, that sets it; And the sun of his labor with pleasure did smile, And with dew from his eye often wet it. It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland, And they call it the dear little Shamrock of Ireland. A Brief History of St. Patrick Saint Patrick's real name was Maewyn Succat. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and was sold as a slave. He herded sheep for years until he escaped when he was 22. He found a monastery and spent 12 years nurturing his faith. Around 432 A.D., St. Patrick arrived in Ireland and began working to convert the Irish to Christianity. To explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, he used a Shamrock, explaining that the stem holds the three leaves together, the same as Christianity connecting the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The leaves show that though they are separat...

At the London airport, I saw two girls with colored hair, one with dark purple, and the other with red. It was exciting and relieving to see that I wouldn't be totally out of place with my cotton candy-esque bob. Normal colors of hair flooded the international arrivals area, and very few paused when over the intercom, an ominous voice announced a non-denominational service in the chapel. In my corner of a coffee shop, I noticed several police officers with bulky, powerful guns stand guard every few feet. Not much of the chaotic movement changed, but I definitely straightened my posture and looked for the nearest exits. Was this in case there was a terrorist attack or religious hate crime?  My thoughts buzzed, but the anxiety soon died when the police scattered just a few minutes after the announcement. They brought around a puppy to sniff for bombs, who lingered on my luggage because I have a dog at home. I was nervous, but the police offered smiles and treats to their ...