Loudly
sing cuckoo
Groweth
seed and bloweth mead
and
springs the wood anew
Sing
cuckoo! [Anon. 13th C].
“There is
something delicious, Mother, about early summer,” said Alfred. “The trees are
alive with a thousand shades of green; green with hues of yellow, purple, red,
and even hazy blue in early morning. The roses are already in full bloom, the Grandiflora
and the Granny Grimmets in glorious color.”
“Right you
are, Alfred,” said Mother. “Do you remember the old poem Gather Ye Rosebuds
While Ye May by Robert Herrick?”
“Ah, yes,” said Alfred, “but to you
remember what it actually says?”
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.
Mother
laughed, “Certainly, Alfred, but do you remember what it applies to? It’s
advice to young virgins to get married before they age and the bloom is off the
rose. Neither of us are young and I suspect that for us the bloom is already
off the rose.”
“Mother,” said Alfred, “There
is another way of looking at it. There
is an old saying, “Yesterday is a cancelled check, and tomorrow is only a
promissory note, and all we really have is today.” In the day we have we should
stop to enjoy the roses. There are so many things in this wonderful world. Too
often people focus on the glum and even frightening things.”
“That’s a shame, Alfred,” said
Mother. “When there are so many things to rejoice in, not only in the flowers
of the field.”
“Nor the forests green,” said
Alfred.
“Nor the lofty mountains capped
with snow,” answered Mother.
“Nor the mighty rolling ocean
waves,” answered Alfred.
There are other wonders to
rejoice in,” said Mother. “There is the beauty of young lovers holding hands in
the park, and the laughter of little children.”
“Yes,” said Alfred, “and don’t
forget the beauty of old well weathered love that has withstood the ravages of
time.”
“There are so many beautiful
things, Alfred,” said Mother. “We should make it a practice to enjoy beauty
wherever we find it.”
“Yes, said Alfred, “We should
make it a conscious point to revel in the beauty of the world around us.”
“Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any
excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things”
[Philippians 4:8].