“I made it through the rain“

Posted byKathy SimmonsPosted inFamily, Ireland, Life, LoveTags:, , , , ,

My “letter to the editor” of the Irish Times published this week☘️

The Trinity College Dublin Class of 2024

Published by Kathy Simmons

I am an ex New Yorker who still misses the vibrancy of the city. I seek out the humor in every day life and relay it through my stories in the hope others will appreciate as well. I love to write about growing up with my fantastically unique Irish mother whose memory inspires me every day. Although she is no longer with us, her antics are an endless staple for my tales. I currently live in Connecticut with my husband, two sons and toy fox terrier Anabel.

15 thoughts on ““I made it through the rain“”

  2. Katherine, your letter beautifully captures the resilience and determination of your son’s graduating class. It’s inspiring to see how he navigated such a challenging time with strength and perseverance. Your pride and support as a parent shine through, and it’s uplifting to read about his journey. Thank you for sharing this heartwarming story!

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  3. Katherine,

    May I tell you how I felt reading your post about your son, your words though simple mesmerized my mind so much that I actually felt I was watching it, the four years perhaps kept you wondering if it was a mistake to send your son, which probably was not familiar to him, but now that it ended so beautifully, you and your son should be proud of this unbelievable accomplishment at a time when the whole world was scared of the pandemic.

    All the best to you and congrats to you both.

    Ranu 🙂

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    1. Sometimes, difficulty in life can make you stronger. Believe this sentiment true in my son’s case. Amid struggle he persevered. Happy New Year to you Ranu! Thank you for reading and your thoughtful comment.

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  4. My daughter attended and graduated from the University of Limerick. I felt sad reading about your son, because students were short changed of the “college experience” during the pandemic. My daughter graduated in 2017, so had 5 wonderful years in Ireland. Congratulations on his graduation.

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    1. My son’s first year was the most difficult due to the lock down and all sport and activities cancelled but he found happiness in travel and friendships the remaining three years. Think it made him stronger. I appreciate your reading and so happy your daughter enjoyed her Irish journey.

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  5. Freshmen year is hard enough, but moving to a different country, and having to deal with COVID-19, makes it even more gratifying when you reach the end point. So congrats to your son (long overdue 🙂 ) Did you visit him at all while he was going to school there?

    I’ve been a college professor for forty years, and I love hearing stories about students venturing outside their comfort zones, and I encourage them to seek out such ventures. So if you have any more stories to share about those four years, please let me know! I have also been fortunate to teach abroad four times, once in London, once in Singapore, and twice in Sydney. As a result, I am an even bigger advocate of study abroad opportunities for students.

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    1. Your background is so impressive Jim! Yes we visited him once restrictions were lifted, twice. The campus is magical, like a Harry Potter film and the school impressive especially in its research as many life changing inventions hailed from Trinity student’s efforts. If you read my story it gives you an idea of what those students persevered. The Irish too are a tough lot and expect the students to “carry on,” quite different from their American counterparts who often coddle students a bit more (in my opinion). My story if he and his roommate Nikhil is a beautiful one of friendship. It was printed in both the Irish Times and the Irish Independent. Everyone loves a happy ending. Nikhil just visited Owen my son this past Christmas his first time visiting the U.S. and celebrating a traditional Christmas complete with tree and gifts.

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      1. I remember looking at the Book of Kells when we visited Trinity’s campus. (I also remember visiting the Guinness factory and having a beer while looking out over the cty of iDublin).

        I agree with you that sometimes we coddle our students a bit too much.

        Do you have link to the story about your son and his friend?

        I’ll also probably be clicking on some of your posts at random on your web site 🙂

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