"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss ... with the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we wish had been done differently, or not at all."~ Queen Elizabeth II, Dublin Castle
The Queen of England is in the midst of a 4-day visit to the Republic of Ireland, a historic event the first of its kind in the 90 years of Irish independence. In her speech at Dublin Castle, Elizabeth II acknowledged the weight of the past and the promise of the future, and she did it with customary dignity and grace.
As the old Chinese proverb says, "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." By her words and actions, the Queen has taken a long and significant stride toward healing the ancient wounds that have caused so much suffering between Ireland and England. The world could use a lot more of her courage.
