Last week, I wrote about my trip to Skye, Scotland with my cousin. A Spiritual Journey in Scotland: Memories and Ashes. We finished our trip in Dublin and I continued on with my Solo Journey to Doolin, a village on the west coast of Ireland. My friends had been to that village that was famous for authentic Irish music. It was also near the Cliffs of Moher in the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way. I’d never experienced the drama of massive rock walls rising above the ocean. Hiking along the top of those cliffs was first on my list of things to do. On my second day in Doolin, I took that hike that was like none I’d ever experienced.

That day of walking was invigorating and exhausting. Coming at the end of my trip, I needed the next day to be less vigorous, to allow for more time of quiet reflection. I’d been traveling for two weeks and wanted time to gather in before I traveled by bus to Shannon. There I’d catch my plane back to the States. When I was planning my trip to Doolin, I met a man from Ireland who gave me a piece of travel advice.

“You should take the ferry to the Aran Islands,” he said. “It’s a short ride from Doolin and it’s a quiet place of rustic beauty.”

I’d heard of the Aran Islands when I was a misfit student in a knitting class. Our instructor told us about a sweater she was knitting in the Aran style that was created for holding warmth for those Irish fisherman. At first I was naive and thought I’d eventually become skilled enough to make one of those sweaters. But eventually, when even the stitches of an afghan were problematic, I gave up on that idea.

With that man’s suggestion, I decided to spend my last day exploring Inis Mor’ — the largest of the 3 Aran islands. The 45-minute ferry ride was refreshing in the cool morning air with some ocean spray hitting us. There were lots of things to see including prehistoric stone forts, unique natural geological formations, and many scenic coastal spots. But I didn’t want a lot; I wanted a little taste of the island and time for myself. I resisted the offerings at the ferry dock of van tours, horse-drawn cart rides around the island, or renting an E-bike. I would only go as far as I felt like walking and then have a long leisurely lunch in a restaurant.

After lunch, I browsed in the shops and was happy to find one that sold knitted items. There I found the Aran Island sweater that was meant for me.

It’s actually a rich Kelly green. I love wearing this sweater-poncho at Christmas.

I understand now when I read the description from Wikipedia why I was wise not to tackle an Aran island sweater: “The stitches that create the Aran knitting patterns are complex and the knitted goods are time-consuming to create. For example, a typical Aran sweater will have over 100,000 stitches, and may take several months to finish.” I was so happy to bring back my sweater as my souvenir and reminder of the quiet of Inis Mor’.

My final day of my Solo Journey was just what I needed to cap off an incredible trip to Ireland. Everything came together, from the discovery of the Aran island knitting pattern years before to finding that sweater on that little island with the salty Atlantic breeze. That day reminded me of the importance of slowing down and taking in less in order to value more.

Best to you wherever your journey is taking you.

Connie