Judy and I went to see Riverdance last night here in Indianapolis. I had seen
clips of it before on TV but did not realize the story behind the show. It's
the tale of the Irish, who struggle with the decision to leave their home to
go to America, where they encounter the other ethnic peoples that are our
melting pot. The story is told mostly in dance and song (a most excellent
band), but there is also a monolog. Near the end were a few sentences that
really hit home for me, and I'm sure some of you have had the same
experience. This is from memory, not verbatim.
A few generations later his son returns to the place of his mothers and
fathers. A land he had never seen before, but it not seem strange to him, it
was comfortable. As the river flows to the sea, both from America and Ireland
and join in the ocean, that water in the new land came from the old. One can
touch it and feel home.
I am the first of my branch of the Sinclairs to return to Scotland. My ggg
grandfather left in 1805, I returned in 1999. It did not feel like a foreign
country, the local peoples in Wick and Roslyn were very nice to us. The food
was not what I am used to, but it was very tasty. I was choked up when I
landed in Paisley, I teared up when we headed down the runway to go back
home. Niven has said; "That what is born in the blood can never be driven
from the bone".
If Riverdance comes to you town on this tour, please go see it. Two thumbs up.
Donald Sinclair, Indianapolis