Mid Ocean: A Definition

"Ireland is where strange tales begin, and happy endings are possible."
 -Charles Haughey

You may be asking yourself what I mean by "mid ocean". Mid ocean is a term that I have borrowed from another expat friend of mine.  I thought it was a very clever description of what it's like to be torn between two worlds, and never feeling like you completely belong to one or the other. 

Imagine you are in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, in a boat which has no means of propulsion.  Drifting to and fro, you rely on the tide to carry you to your destination. You will the boat to sail west towards the land you call home. You long to be taken in, embraced, and comforted in her warm arms. Life is ideal there.  Home is family, security, and rich with opportunities. But, the tide turns and the boat navigates it's self towards an island which is hanging off the edge of the Atlantic.  A shoreline of white cliffs appears in the distance and it's strange beauty pulls you in like Sirens.

On this enigmatic island of rough, rocky, landscapes, and rolling hills of green, is where I anchored roots all those years ago.  It's the place my Irish children call home.  For me, Ireland is a place in which I hold a delicate relationship. On a sunny day, it is pure Utopia, I wonder why I would ever consider leaving. Then, the rain comes...

This blog I call Mid Ocean: Oregon to Eire, is a collection of stories of my life in Ireland. Some true, some fictional, but always real.

Oh, and you're probably wondering why I would quote the late Charles Haughey?  I'm not political by any means, so never mind the persona that was.  I just thought it was a brilliant quote, and so well suited to my story.

Catherine Hughes Teahan