Ireland Road Trip #1 - I left a piece of my soul
Ireland was a dream. I have a new understanding of ‘I left a piece of myself there’, because I literally feel like I have. I find myself constantly drawn to thinking and day-dreaming about it. I’m trying to pull my energy back into my body and back into my life here, now, and I can’t. It’s like a tenth of my being is left in this other country, but that tenth is as strong as the other nine parts. So, I keep asking - why is that? What was so unique about this trip that my soul clearly knows, but my human consciousness doesn’t?
I think back to previous ‘homecoming’ trips - ones where I ‘remember’ and re-connect with something on a soul, heart level. Dartmoor National Park, Glastonbury, Tenerife, and special places like Stonehenge and Avebury… Those have brought powerful transformations and integrations, but this is different. It’s like I’m missing come completion… The trip isn’t over yet, but I’ve come back. It’s waiting for me to go back and complete it.
I’ve always loved to travel. At 18, I took a gap year/ year out after finishing school and before starting university. I worked for the first 6 months to save up and then I travelled. It was one of the best experiences of my life! It freed the A*, hard-working girl inside into someone outgoing, wildly happy, always a ‘yes’ person. I was sad when it ended, but I moved on… Now, I can’t seem to.
My Ireland trip had been calling me for a while, and it even came up in a psychic reading about a year ago. “Are you going to Ireland or Scotland?” she asked. I was like, “How random, because I have really been thinking about going to Ireland soon.” I was intrigued by the nature and landscape, the Celtic history and whispers, and just curious to go! When it finally came to leaving, I was a bit stunned - how did time travel all the way to here?
For the first few days, I did have to keep affirming that I am in Ireland! You’d think I went to the Arctic or something, but it really had been just an idea and dream for so long, and suddenly it was happening! I needed to remind myself that my dream was now manifest in reality. Soak it up, Dessi, take it in, breathe out.
Over the 10-day trip, my Mum and I (for it was a joint mother-daughter trip, as she had also been wanting to go for a long time) saw so much! Only my Mum could keep up with such a pace, and I was the one that had to ask to slow down at times. Her young heart is really so unique to be around. We slept for a maximum of 2 nights in each place and - whilst we enjoyed aimless strolls, delicious food and planting our bare feet into grass and beaches - that truly shows how much we got to experience!
And yet, I want to see more! I find myself writing about this trip, scrolling through the beautiful photos we took, admiring the coaster and card and ring I got, and swirling ideas about creating a short film. Just for myself, to pour my heart out and to integrate the experience. To live in it a bit longer and bring it to completion.
Some months ago, I had a dream about a man from Ireland. I was travelling and I met someone I really liked, but eventually the time dawned when each of us had to return to our homes. His home was Ireland. Some time after, I dreamed about moving there and that that was the reason for quitting my corporate job - the soul reason that at the time of quitting I didn’t know about. Upon returning, random synchronicities about Ireland have also kept up. Our psyche and the unseen are so wonderful, huh!
The last thing I feel called to write about today is the ring I bought from the Cliffs of Moher, described as the Lonely Planet as ‘where Europe abruptly ends’. Jewellery has always been filled with meaning to me, and this ring is a statement of my ties to these lands. Why and what these are I believe I am yet to find out.
…
Background: I took a 10-day road trip to Ireland from 6 - 16 September. We travelled from Dublin to Faughart. From there to Galway and then through the Wild Atlantic Way and down to Limerick. Finally, back to Dublin through Kilkenny and Kildaire. You can find a snapshot of this trip here and also here.
