My name day.

I am so filled with peace and happiness when people are showing me their love and appreciation!
Yesterday many people called to wish me on my name day.
I am named after St. Irene Chrysovalantou , but most people are more familiar with the
St. Irene celebrated on May 5th.
I am all the more pleased because the people who called me were not just "the usual suspects", people who call out of a list of "must calls", because social reciprocity calls for it.
I am glad because people who called thought of me before making the call. A customer told me "I wish you Chronia Polla (that's the usual Greek wish, meaning Many Years), because I want you to live for many years and be well".
My dentist called late last night, after she had finished work, to wish me well, too. Our Best Man's wife called and we spoke on the phone for 50 minutes. A friend I've only met twice, but she and her husband know my husband for years, called from an island in the Aegean, where she teaches, and we spoke about the current state of education in Greece.
I am so very thankful. For the first time I have actually felt the love. I am very humbly grateful.

"Following in the steps of the Prince of Peace, O pious one,
you were shown to be named after peace by divine inspiration;
for fleeing from the snares of the warring enemy,
as a wise virgin you supernaturally endured the contest.
Therefore, Great-Martyr Irene, pray for peace for us."