Why celebrate Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick's history is very uncertain but clearly this man made a great impact. It has been said that as a boy he was taken by pirates and taken to Ireland, some years later he was able to escape and return home but after becoming a cleric he decided to return to Ireland and bring with him the teachings of Christianity. You don't have to believe the theology of Christianity to recognize the value and supreme beauty of the teachings of the prince of peace, and it is those teachings and that way of thinking that they say turned the tides for Ireland and chased out the pagans (often referred to as snakes because the snake was a popular pagan symbol) so that love and prosperity had an opportunity to flourish. There is great strength in his story and if a man could be so bold to spend his life saving the people who stole him from his home, then perhaps we can strive to be so forgiving and courageous. That strength no doubt was drawn upon by many Irish who were brought to this new world first as slaves, then as unwanted immigrants, and it endures today for many to carry on the legacy of our ancestors. Today we celebrate our salvation from darkness not just as Irish but as human beings, and if Saint Patrick was able to liberate Ireland from tyranny and injustice than together we can rid the entire world of such hate! That's why today everyone is Irish in that sense and although we have a long way to go it's important that we give thanks for how far we have come, and celebrate the good works that have been done!