And the winter winds are wearily sighing:
Toll ye the church bell sad and slow,
And tread softly and speak low,
For the old year lies a-dying.
Tennyson goes on for several stanzas to grieve the loss of the past year, begging it to stay with all the gifts it has given him and fearful that those gifts will be taken away in the new year. But the old year is over, and Tennyson must resign himself to face what is about to come:
That standeth there alone,
And waiteth at the door.
There's a new foot on the floor, my friend,
And a new face at the door, my friend,
A new face at the door.
For Hardy and me the past year has had its challenges and we are glad it's behind us, although we are not convinced that things will change, just because there is a different date on the calendar! But we celebrate the beginning of a new year because we have hope.
We know another spring is coming and we hope to meet it and greet it.
We know that two dear friends have recently made a commitment to each other after losing their spouse and we will celebrate this joyful union in spring.
We know that whatever comes our way, the Spirit of God will accompany us and light our way, whether it is new beginnings or endings.
So in the midst of winter, we celebrate the new year that is to come!
Wow, Elfrieda, that table is gorgeous! I am in the process of digesting my own thoughts about the holidays and the new year. Thanks for this glimpse into your mixed emotions. A lot of friends are describing life this way . . . May you find many surprising blessings in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shirley! My son-in-law created this with his mother who was visiting with her family. Friends added to the feast and we all enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteWe celebrated the new year as 80-year-olds. Quite a milestone! We are looking hopefully forward to 2023.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, I’m not there yet, but this is the year I will be! I’m taking lessons from Hardy who is 85!!
ReplyDeleteYes the old year out the new one in….what an unexpected turn the year can take. After the vacation of a lifetime …Hawaii, Australia&Tahiti during 2022 the year took a turn for the worse. Getting caught in the airplane fiasco of the year at the same time both Wally & I contacting COVID on our way home and spending Christmas & New Years evening isolating caused us to stop and contemplate how fast things can change. 2002 brought us our joys but also our discomforts and we anticipate 2023 will bring some of the same. Yet each incident …
ReplyDeletegood or bad has brought us blessings and taught us that life is just that and if we approach each new year & new day with that thought in mind all will be well!
Thanks again for your mindful blog Elfrieda❤️
Above from Ruth Jansen
ReplyDeleteThat ending to such a wonderful vacation was a real fiasco, for sure! One is never prepared for the unexpected, but you dealt with it well! Looking forward to seeing you soon!
DeleteThanks for sharing this Tennyson poem, Elfrieda. I don't remember reading it before, either. and I do love some Tennyson;-)
ReplyDeleteMy son, Bri, his wife and 3 kids flew out to see us on December 25th. Bri and his wife returned to Calgary on New Year's Day. The 3 grandchildren are still with us, although, the oldest leaves tomorrow. The boys are flying back to Calgary on Saturday. Whenever my family leaves I get an achy feeling in the pit of my stomach. With them leaving in this drawn out way, the achy feeling is somewhat mitigated. Saturday evening will be tough. The major house cleaning required after they leave will keep me busy until the ache goes away. I have many projects I'm looking foward to working on in the coming months.
Robbie
Farewells are hard, especially the forever farewells. Tennyson dealt with the loss of a dear friend at a young age when he wrote this poem and later expanded it to the famous and lengthier “In Memoriam”. I dislike house cleaning, but it can be therapeutic. Let’s hope it works for you!
DeleteElfrieda, I enjoy Tennyson and have quoted him in my blog posts and also in my upcoming memoir. I am not familiar with the poem you cited here. So, thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteI too have mixed feelings about the old year, but writing in my gratitude book keeps me feeling positive about the present and the future.
Your photos are wonderful and demonstrate how healthy connections with others help our body, soul, and spirit. Blessings in 2023, Elfreida, and family! :-D
I wrote my MA thesis on Tennyson, comparing his poetry with that of a German poet, Annette von Droste Huelshoff. They wrote at the same time period. For some reason, I did not come across this poem either, in all the research that I did!
ReplyDeleteI have found a gratitude book helpful as well, and you’ve reminded me to begin doing that again. Thank you, Marian!
Elfrieda, if we ever met in person, we'd never ever run out of things to talk about, both of us interested literature--and of course, our personal experiences.
ReplyDeletei know! I think we are “Kindred Spirits” as Anne of Green Gables liked to say!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful way to start the new year, Elfrieda. Thank you for sharing this. I'm grateful for the hope we have, and am saying a prayer for you and Hardy.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, April. We are upholding you in our prayers as well!
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