It's nice to be appreciated

I had to run some errands downtown a bit ago and Conal was heading off to a session at Taaffe's, another pub I had yet to check off my list of places to hit. I popped into the pub with him to grab a quick pint and listen to a few tunes before carrying on with my errands.

While standing at the bar, I was hit up for some conversation by an older (or '67 years young', rather) gentleman named Joe. Joe's mood was reflexive and downright cheerful--had he the energy of a younger man, though, giddiness might have been more apt--as he told me repeatedly of how wonderful the state of affairs are these days in Ireland, particularly in the North, with peace reigning at last. All this, he insisted repeatedly, was due to America, and 'let no one tell you different!'.

It's true. In particular, Bill Clinton's involvement in the situation in Northern Ireland, particularly assisting in facilitation of the Good Friday Agreement, among other steps and provisions, played a pivotal role in making the situation in Northern Ireland as peaceful today as it has been in many generations. Clinton is nearly as beloved over here as JFK, who's portrait can still be found today hanging on the wall next to that of the Pope in many old Irish homes and pubs.

In a day and age when our country's foreign policy has caused us to be looked upon with great suspicion and ill-will, it's wonderful to hear words of appreciation and assurance that our country has done some great things in this world. And furthermore, that there are those who have not forgotten.*

Let's hope that the future brings more of the good, though there will always be (and always should be) those who don't forget what's been done in the past, regardless of its effect.

*As a side note, I'm extremely curious to see how this attitude is reflected on my visit to Normandy next week. It's an area that owes as much a direct debt to America as probably any outside our own borders, yet is in a country whose people are perceived, anyways, to be the least supportive of all our allies. Judging by the number of monuments, museums and other artifacts that I've discovered online while researching the trip, it certainly appears that officially, anyways, the Normandy region very solemnly remembers the great sacrifice of the American, British and Canadian soldiers who fought to liberate her. But it will be interesting to see what the perception of the everyday man-on-the-street will be like.