Times Gone By

There is a sort of excitement within me when a new year starts. The old is gone, something fresh is beginning. The anticipation of what will be sends shivers down my spine and goosebumps up my arms. All wonderful and good despite the fact that I have to force out of my mind the "what ifs." Those unforeseen tragedies, tears, and trials that could happen but I don't dare think about as if their consideration could somehow jinx the silver lining around my own personal white puffy cloud. All too easily my wonderment can take a dark turn until I find myself worrying about things that most likely (and hopefully) won't ever happen. I blame this on deep dwelling grief from my past that changed me, as grief is wont to do. There is an underlying fear that, dormant most days, will rise up and flash the worst case scenarios across my mind's eye. The thoughts frighten me and I immediately go to God in prayer. There is a reason why Christ made a point of saying (in Matthew 6:34 NIV), "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Ain't that the truth?

Those negative mental wanderings aren't helped when reality itself moves the terrible thoughts from "what could be" to "what is." It is only January 17 and many people within my sphere have already suffered the loss of loved ones. It is hard enough when these heartaches are isolated incidents but when they are numerous within a short span of time I have to ask, "Why is this happening?"

In my battle to stay positive despite the negative, I search for something that will make my first foray into 2012 blogdom uplifting and not the downer it originally was. So when "Auld Lang Syne" begins to crescendo within my encephalon (snirk) the irony of the moment is not lost on me. What is a New Year celebration without this traditional song AND, given the recent losses suffered by friends, what more befitting words could be reflected upon? After all, it is about remembering. As defined in Wikipedia: for the sake of old times... a call to remember long standing friendships... (and) symbolising endings (or) new beginnings." (parenthesis are mine)

There are various translations but I found the James Watson version from 1711 (also on Wikipedia) to fit most accurately what I am trying to say:

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot, and never thought upon; The flames of Love extinguished, and fully past and gone: Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold, that loving Breast of thine; That thou canst never once reflecton Old long syne.

CHORUS:On Old long syne my Jo, in Old long syne, That thou canst never once reflect, on Old long syne.

My Heart is ravisht with delight, when thee I think upon; All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight, and speedily is gone; The bright resemblance of thy Face, so fills this, Heart of mine; That Force nor Fate can me displease, for Old long syne.

CHORUS

Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief, when from thee I am gone; will not thy presence yield relief, to this sad Heart of mine: Why doth thy presence me defeat, with excellence divine? Especially when I reflecton Old long syne

CHORUS

(several further stanzas)

With that, may each of us take a moment to remember. Whether the pain of a loss is fresh or a scar that feels as powerful as the day it was born, may we hold to the beauty and memory of those that gave us something to remember in the first place. The most recent for me would be my brother Trevor (how I miss our conversations and your playfulness) and Grandpa Miller (our left/right jokes still make me laugh and I smile every time I think of you dancing to Harry Belafonte one Thanksgiving day). For all the others I have been blessed to know however briefly, you are not forgotten.

In summary, Harry and Sally said it best (When Harry Met Sally):

Harry: “What does this song mean? My whole life, I don’t know what this song means. It means ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot.’ Does that mean we that should forget old acquaintances or does it mean that if we should happen to forget them, we should remember them which is not possible because we already forgot?”

Sally: “Well maybe it just means that maybe we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it’s about old friends”

To old friends and times gone by....