Why I Love St. Patrick’s Day
This essay originally appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 3/15/21.
This Wednesday is one of my favorite holidays: St. Patrick’s Day! St. Patrick’s Day may seem like a trivial holiday to some, but in my family, March 17th has always been a big deal.
Growing up, my mom was famous for her St. Patrick’s Day holiday breakfast, which included green toast, green Gatorade, Lucky Charms cereal and more. It was quite different from our usual breakfast du jour of Pop Tarts-in-the-car, and my brothers and I loved it.
My association with St. Patrick’s Day being a joyful, fun holiday only grew stronger when I moved to Chicago. If you are not familiar, the city of Chicago is known for going all out for the holiday. The Saturday before the holiday, the river downtown is dyed green, and in non-COVID times, there’s a big parade and a ton of people out-and-about jovially celebrating, despite weather being cold and blustery. It’s a ton of fun.
Right now, I’m listening to a book called Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas. I’m enjoying the book and while I was listening on a walk one day last week, I heard one excerpt in particular that stopped me in my tracks. It resonated with me so much that I had to pause the audiobook because I was feverishly trying to type out the quote verbatim in my Notes app.
In the book, Jennifer and Naomi were talking about the course they teach together at the Stanford Graduate School of Business with the same name and premise as the book. They were discussing how many students sign up for the course with the anticipation that they will have a greater sense of humor at the end of the semester. And that does happen, but it’s often in a different way than was initially expected. The students don’t magically become fall-down funny, but they do learn how to move through the world with more levity. Jennifer and Naomi write about how the semester ends with students reporting significantly more joy in their lives and a stronger habit of looking for reasons to be delighted, which they say is what humor is all about. As they write, “when you navigate your life on the precipice of a smile, you’ll be surprised how many things you encounter that push you over the edge.”
Navigating life on the precipice of a smile. I couldn’t write that phrase down fast enough! And it may have been because I was passing storefront windows adorned with festive green decorations and shamrocks, but I immediately thought: That’s exactly what St. Patrick’s Day is all about to me.
The phrase so succinctly and elegantly summarized why I love the holiday and why I’m so fond of my St. Patrick’s Day memories filled with fun, little delights. There’s a reason the word “happy-go-lucky” is synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. I think people naturally move through the world a little more cheerfully on March 17. The holiday in itself is one big reminder to, at least for a day, navigate life on the precipice of a smile rather than a frown.
Even though celebrations for the past two St. Patrick’s Day have been different, I’m nonetheless thankful for the reminder this Wednesday will bring to all of us. Especially after this past year, I think we could all benefit from more reminders to reach for levity, laugh and be delighted.
But how can we cultivate this reminder for ourselves more than just once a year?
I was thinking about this last week and realized that the answer may lie in something else that feels very synonymous with the holiday: the idea of lucky charms, symbols or signs. Some people swear by them and some think they are silly, but regardless if you think they work or not, they do have the potential to be fun, make you happy, and bring a sense of that happy-go-lucky spirit into your life on a more regular basis.
Inspired by the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday and by Jennifer’s and Naomi’s book, something I’m pondering this week is what my lucky sign could be that would remind me to navigate life on the precipice of a smile. My hope is that when I see this symbol, whether it ends up being an animal like a ladybug or a bee, a number, or even a certain word, I’m reminded to look for reasons for be delighted and lighten up.
What do you think? Do you already have a favorite lucky sign, and does it bring you joy when you see it? Or if not, would you too be interested in picking one out like me? Would love to know your thoughts!
I’ll leave you this morning with one of my favorite Irish blessings and a wish that you have a very happy and lucky St. Patrick’s Day this Wednesday. Sláinte!
May peace and plenty bless your world
With a joy that long endures
And may all life’s passing seasons
Bring the best to you and yours.
Want to receive a note like this to your inbox every Monday at 6 AM EST? Sign up here! If you don’t receive the email, please check your spam or junk folder.
Have feedback, thoughts or a question you want addressed in an upcoming newsletter? Drop an anonymous note to my mailbox here!