A Simple Prayer of Thanks

Anyway twenty-one years ago, Dan invited me to my first Hibernian Society dinner. This is the formal conclusion of St. Patrick's Day in Savannah. Beginning at eight o'clock around a thousand men show up in black tuxedos and listen to bagpipes, drink Irish whiskey, eat Barney steaks, and listen to a speech about Ireland and another about the United States. Both speeches begin with a toast. It is a real "Who's-who" of Savannah's male society and there are ample opportunities for networking and socializing.

So all of those years ago, I was percieved as a radical person in the city. I had a pony tail and we were opening the Magdalane Project for homeless women and children and Phoenix Place for people dying (at the time) of AIDS. I was in the press a lot. So a lot of people knew who I was but they didn't know me.

Dan's inclusion of me at the Hibernian Society allowed me to meet the city's leadership and to talk with them and schedule follow up discussions. This led to many significant relationships that are still going on today. My career in Savannah would never have gotten established were it not for Dan's annual invitation.

He passed away a couple of years ago, but his son's continue the tradition which now includes me. The invitation still comes and I still go. So last night, while everybody else was toasting Ireland, I took a sip for Dan and said a simple prayer of thanks.