02/11/2024
It's All Souls' Day today (2nd November), a time, traditionally, to remember those who have died in faith.
We all feel grief and loss when a family member or friend dies and for centuries now, we have this dedicated day especially to remember them.
Whether you are one of the growing number of people who are non-religious or you find comfort in faith, we share this short poem by Ewan MacColl, taken from the lyrics of Joy of Living, and another by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
If you are thinking about someone special who has died, we hope these words will bring comfort and help mark and celebrate the life lived.
‘Poem’ by Ewan MacColl
Take me to some high place of heather, rock and ling
Scatter my dust and ashes, feed me to the wind
So that I may be part of all you see, the air you are breathing
I'll be part of the curlew's cry and the soaring hawk,
The blue milkwort and the sundew hung with diamonds
I'll be riding the gentle breeze as it blows through your hair
Reminding you how we shared in the joy of living
'What is Success?' by Ralph Waldo Emerson
'What is success?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the attention of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded!
