Monday Morning Motivator: A CUP O’ KINDNESS...

A CUP O’ KINDNESS...

The beautiful, nostalgic, tear-producing, kiss-causing, heart-tugging song, “Auld Lang Syne,” written by the poet, Robert Burns in 1788 and set to a Scots folk melody, is considered one of Scotland’s finest gifts to the world. Sung every New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight from Times Square to Tokyo, this wonderful old song celebrates the “times gone by” (a loose translation of the words “auld lang syne”), and for many of us brings great memories: old, close relationships, dear friends and loved ones...and special times together from the past. Some people say that they don’t exactly know what the song means, but they sure love singing it.

Whatever you’re doing this New Year’s Eve, I bet when 12:00 appears on your iPhone, you’ll raise your own particular version of a “cup o’ kindness” and start singing, “Should old (or auld) acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind...” and maybe like me, your eyes will get misty. And why not? This is the time ...before we leap into the possibilities of the future and all things new...to embrace and celebrate what’s old: the "constants" in our lives, the feelings, the relationships, the people, the loves that have lasted. Maybe this would be a good time to tell those people - a good time to call them, or write them, or simply remember them.  

If you, like most of us, only know the first few lines of “Auld Lang Syne,” here’s the full English translation so you can sing out...loud, strong and long...

(Be sure to scroll all the way down.)

1.Should old acquaintance be forgot,                   

and never brought to mind? 

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

Chorus:

For auld lang syne,

my dear

for auld lang syne,

we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne

2. And surely you’ll buy your

pint cup!

And surely I’ll buy mine!

And we’ll take a cup o’ 

kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

3. We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine;

But we’ve wandered many a

weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

4. We two have paddled in the 

stream,

from morning sun till dine

But seas between us broad

have roared

since auld lang syne

(Chorus)

This is my favorite verse:

5. And there’s a hand my trusty

friend!

And give me a hand o’ thine

And we’ll take a right good-

will draught,

for auld lang syne.

(Chorus)

So let us, just for a brief moment, smile, embrace each other, drink a cup o’ kindness...and celebrate the good times gone by. There will be more, for sure. But what we have is...now. 

So here’s a hand, my trusty friend...and Happy New Year!

Take a listen (and sing.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJRmdN9iyU

Gail Blanke’s Lifedesigns©2013 All Rights Reserved