Day 9 – Ballintoy to Dublin

Our last full day! A day that turned out totally differently than any of us (or our loved ones at home) anticipated.

Despite the busyness of packing up, we paused to refocus in a circle of song and prayer. We carried the words and melodies of Pat Mayberry with us:

As you go from this place, be true
May the blessings of life find you
May the winds of the Spirit guide you
Across the ocean of all your days
May the seeds of your love, your life, adorn the way.

We said a fond farewell to our hosts and warmly invited them to visit us in Ottawa.
We set out to drive back towards Dublin, with a scheduled stop to visit the prehistoric site at Newgrange. However, our plans for the day were thrown asunder when one of our two vehicles was sideswiped by a transport truck on the motorway in Belfast. Miraculously, no one was injured, although Mary, Cheryl, Miranda, Silvia and Desmond were shocked and frightened by the experience. Upon receiving the news, the rest of us made our way back to the scene to provide support and figure out our way forward.

After the unpleasant tasks of dealing with the police and the car rental company, the group that was in the car accident finally made their way to Dublin Airport by bus. Andrew called an airport hotel and again – miraculously – found three triple rooms at moderate cost. We were to have stayed with Mary’s cousin outside Dublin, but instead she came to visit with us over our final dinner together. 
Needless to say, we were more than thrilled to have hot showers and comfortable beds following the day’s harrowing experience! 

All are happy to be safe after a harrowing day

An adventure of a lifetime

More smiles

All together after a big day, and an amazing pilgrimage experience

Once again, this was not the day we wanted or planned, but it was perhaps, in the end, a day of learning and deepening: 

Life is precious. To be alive is a miracle. So much of what we worry about just doesn't matter. In the face of adversity, we find strength together. Our connections to one another and to God carry us through. 

Comments

  1. E3 ChangeAugust 31, 2018 at 7:26 PM

    I'm so glad everyone is okay!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MurraySeptember 1, 2018 at 2:14 AM

    An experience that wasn't planned or welcomed, but one that, in the end, was strengthening for everyone involved, in terms of deepening your appreciation for life, for safety, and for the mutual support and caring that you could all provide to one another. So glad you came through unscathed. Thanks for all your posts - it's been great to live your story vicariously from afar.

    ReplyDelete

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