Say, WHO? Well, Maewyn Succat was born around the year 400. In my wildest dreams, and professing as much education as I think I have, I still can't bring myself to have a mental picture of exactly what it was like to live in 400, much less 1400, or even in the future, 2400... but I digress. We now know old Maewyn Succat as ... Saint Patrick -- the fellow who rid Ireland of all the snakes en route to growing the first shamrock. Well ... sort of ... NOT!

Maewyn, err, Patrick, led an interesting life. Born either in Wales or Scotland, he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in pagan Ireland at age 16. He learned the language, had some patience (six years as a slave), and found religion, it's said, as the alternative to his pagan environment. He managed to escape to France, of all places, and became a priest. Twenty years later, the Pope made him a Bishop, changed his name to Patrick, and assigned him to bring and teach Christianity to the Irish. No easy task ... a pretty tough sale!

I pick up a new perspective about old Patrick each March. And this year I realized that he had to be a good salesman. Totally pagan country, was Ireland, but Patrick got his foot in the door. He believed in his product ... and spoke the language. Pretty basic salesmanship.

Snakes were the symbols of various forms of paganism. And yes, Patrick did drive them out, figuratively. And the Shamrock? Merely a sales visual ... the three leafs symbolizing, well, you know. Catholic or not, Irish or not, we could all learn a lesson or two from Maewyn Succat -- persistence in what we believe, belief in what we sell, and the ability to communicate it, and get it done!

And so, on the day we call "St. Patrick's", let me offer you the salutation as it continues to this day in Ireland, "May God, Mary ... and Patrick ... bless you".