Recently while visiting with some friends in Ireland, we were talking about celebrities and how it seems easy for some people to get caught up in their own reputations and then be carried away by their fame. This can also happen when people become highly successful in their career, volunteer work, or other accomplishments. From the other room, we heard Nick clearly proclaim, “We not forget our roots!” I have often wondered how much he understands about celebrity but he really surprised me when he jumped into the conversation about not forgetting our roots. We hadn’t even used that phrase.
It does appear that some people lose that connection with where they came from and forget about the people that were their friends before they were famous. Even though it might look like it, people typically are not overnight successes. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to rise to the top in any field. It is heartwarming to hear when entertainers and athletes have been generous with those people who supported them in their climb up the ladder.
I am not sure exactly what Nick meant by his pronouncement. I do assume based on the context of the conversation that he recognizes what is important and understands a little bit how fleeting fame can be. Recently, Nick has received a bit of notoriety since the release of my book, “Our Time To Dance, A Mother’s Journey To Joy.” He has asked me to make sure that some of our close friends have gotten a copy of the book and he has loved signing them. He has just taken all of this in stride. He has no false pride and shows his genuine feelings for others whether he has just met them or has known them all of his life.
Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of death my great-grandfather, Big Paddy “Newman” Doherty. I mentioned on Facebook that he had an amazing legacy all over the globe. The historical novel I published in 2011, “A Cottage in Donegal, Mary Doherty’s story” is based on his family life. A friend said, “Interesting, what is he known for?” I said that he lived an ordinary Donegal farmers life, and his legacy is his incredible posterity. It is a great heritage.
Nick will continue to be Nick and he is right, remembering our roots is central to being balanced in life. We not forget them.
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