Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
First of all, let me just shout out to J-Mac. You rock. If you don't know who J-Mac is, look him up. Seriously. Google J-Mac + basketball. Read it or watch it without a tear, if you can.
Today, when I got to work, my friend Sandra was not herself. Her neice's ex-husband had hung himself the previous night. He'd left a message on her machine while she had the ringer off and was watching a movie. They are all devestated, and yes there are children involved. Sandra and the rest of the family had remained friendly even after the divorce. They are pulling around, gathering together for strength and grieving.
A short time ago, a neighbor of my mother's lost her 18 year old granddaughter to viral pneumonia. The mother and son had not spoken in years and even though the son was divorced from his wife and children were in her custody, that silence extended to them as well. The neighbor would have nothing to do with her granddaughter. Then, after her death, at the funeral home, on one side of the hallway was one part of the family and on the other side gathered the other side. Neither son nor mother appeared to make any effort to comfort each other, or even speak.
I do not pretend to know what is really going on in either family or past dynamics between the family members. But I know to which family I'd prefer to belong.
All this means is to "gather ye rosebuds while ye may" and to treasure those around us, for I know I haven't known them long enough. I haven't known my grandmother, my mother, my sister, or any of my brothers long enough. I need more time. Lots more. This includes my stepfather, extended family members (yes even my Uncle John whom I've never met), extended-extended family members ("cousins" in Mexico and elsewhere I'm not even sure how we're related), and co-workers, friends, aquantances, and even those people at work who annoy me at times. I haven't had a chance to know them long enough. Not nearly. But we're not guaranteed any time.
My grandmother would often quote a poem I'd never fully heard nor read, and I would roll my eyes (inside at least). Today I looked it up. It's by Rober Herrick.
Great. I thought it would end my blog on a nice note to treasure each moment and person in your life because time is so fleeting.
INSTEAD ... I get a poem about young women getting MARRIED before they get too old. No WONDER granddmother quoted that line to me!!!!!!! I'm just glad my mother hasn't read it ....
grumble, grumble ... Later, Lola
Today, when I got to work, my friend Sandra was not herself. Her neice's ex-husband had hung himself the previous night. He'd left a message on her machine while she had the ringer off and was watching a movie. They are all devestated, and yes there are children involved. Sandra and the rest of the family had remained friendly even after the divorce. They are pulling around, gathering together for strength and grieving.
A short time ago, a neighbor of my mother's lost her 18 year old granddaughter to viral pneumonia. The mother and son had not spoken in years and even though the son was divorced from his wife and children were in her custody, that silence extended to them as well. The neighbor would have nothing to do with her granddaughter. Then, after her death, at the funeral home, on one side of the hallway was one part of the family and on the other side gathered the other side. Neither son nor mother appeared to make any effort to comfort each other, or even speak.
I do not pretend to know what is really going on in either family or past dynamics between the family members. But I know to which family I'd prefer to belong.
All this means is to "gather ye rosebuds while ye may" and to treasure those around us, for I know I haven't known them long enough. I haven't known my grandmother, my mother, my sister, or any of my brothers long enough. I need more time. Lots more. This includes my stepfather, extended family members (yes even my Uncle John whom I've never met), extended-extended family members ("cousins" in Mexico and elsewhere I'm not even sure how we're related), and co-workers, friends, aquantances, and even those people at work who annoy me at times. I haven't had a chance to know them long enough. Not nearly. But we're not guaranteed any time.
My grandmother would often quote a poem I'd never fully heard nor read, and I would roll my eyes (inside at least). Today I looked it up. It's by Rober Herrick.
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.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry
Great. I thought it would end my blog on a nice note to treasure each moment and person in your life because time is so fleeting.
INSTEAD ... I get a poem about young women getting MARRIED before they get too old. No WONDER granddmother quoted that line to me!!!!!!! I'm just glad my mother hasn't read it ....
grumble, grumble ... Later, Lola
# posted by Qeltic @ 5:33 PM 
