My Irish Tree

For years I had a dream where there was a magical tree in the South of Ireland where I could find and sit in and all my ancestors would come to life and flow through my blood – it would re awaken my Celtic blood. I would see all generations behind and in front of me. Answers for my questions would float above me and I could easily slip into the otherworld if I so chose.

Arriving in Dublin, my first priority was to book a day tour in the Ring of Kerry. My bloodline can be traced back to 1192 in that area and I felt that I may find my tree in the majesty of the Ring. There was one tour available – 17th – I was in! Awaking 6am, I made the Heuston train station by 7am and caught the train to Mallow. A storm the night before had disabled a signal and we sat on the tracks for an hour midway between Dublin and Mallow. Finally, my tour guide disembarked me at Mallow with strict instructions for the next train to Killarney where I would meet my tour group taking me to the Ring of Kerry.

In true Irish fashion, we missed the train, they sent a bus and it broke down, the next one didn’t come and the next train was delayed. I was told to return to Dublin. No way. Bugger Off!

I simply HAD to find that tree so I waited. In a state of no idea where or how – I got on the next train eyes closed fingers crossed – arrived in Killarney – no map – no clue – arrived and walked around the town. It was misty and raining and I discovered a walled garden and decided to look inside. It was the National Park and it ran for hundreds of miles – framed by mountains running rocky down onto fingers of lakes streaming out into the Irish Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Wildlife – deer, birds – fauna and flora – tiny cottages dotting the landscape – raindrops dripping from every tree – as I walked alone through this forest and out into the wide expanse where nature had created a theme park just for me.

I found my tree – freshly budding – even in the Irish winter – painted with lime green moss, roots reaching up through the ground and settling at the base of the trunk. Leaves rustling, bark peeling – I could have climbed it and never reached the top where a canopy of the forest trees met to chat about the strange Australian tourist carrying a Union jack umbrella oohing and ahhing as she slipped in the mud along the tracks of this National Park.

I stood firm against the trunk and heard a beating heart. It wasn’t mine. The branches almost wrapped themselves around me as it spoke.

“Get to the Other Side” – the first words – now my mantra.

“Just get to the other side.”

“The other side of what?” I asked incredulously.

“Everything. Every challenge. Every action. Every person. Every situation. Every plan. Start it, get to the middle, look back, look forward and get to the other side. Only then will you see both sides and by the time you get there, it will be what you want.”

Then the tears came.

Oh how I cried!

I cried as this tree took me through every moment in my life and showed me where I actually HAD gotten to the other side and helped me to look back and review the experience.

It showed me my history and the bloodline history flowing through my veins. I saw myself in other lives and saw the same faces always surrounding me.

I crept inside an opening in the trunk and saw pathways and tunnels and doorways to any other world that I chose to create. However the tree reminded me that every opening held the same challenges that I was experiencing now. And I was half way through these challenges.

All I had to do was get to the other side. Every challenge and every life is the same.

There is no more greatness in another body or another time or another country or another life than in mine right now. There was nothing to change - absolutely nothing.

The tree repeated itself over and over.

“There is nothing to change. Everything in your life is perfect right now.”

It said that I was the true master of my life – not any teacher, books, programs, business, individuals, groups, governments or external authorities – but ME. And if I had or did or experienced or found or saw or realised or decided – than it was the right thing because it was me – and I was the true master for me.

In all my challenges - business, family, relationship, health - as with every other soul, the experience was created by me - and as the master, there was a greater purpose for the experience. There would be as many benefits as drawbacks no matter what I did. Trust myself and appreciate the experience. Get to the Other Side by putting one foot in front of the other and not explaining or planning or trying to change. Just be there, do it and love it!

Now that I am home in Australia, everywhere I look, theIrish tree is with me every second. It has taught me more than any book, teacher, school, university or person ever has. And it is ALWAYS following me.
I look at my backyard with new eyes. It looks similiar to the Irish Forest. I drive past the Toowong cemetary every day on my way home from the office. It looks similiar to the Irish Forest. I walk along the Brisbane River each week. It reminds me of the lakes near the Irish Tree. Everything looks different - better. The mundane looks extraordinarily beautiful!

So whenever I feel - ugh - or ggeeeezzzzz - or ggggrrrrrrr - I hear those same words "Get to the Other Side" and somehow the world looks greener and prettier and my heart feels lighter.