HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My hope for 2019 and all the years that follow is for The Little Prince and his tender care for his small Asteroid 325 and his beloved rose to be a lesson for grown-ups and children on planet Earth. May we learn to tenderly care for all Earth's living inhabitants, and the land, water, and air that keep us alive.

Dougie MacLean's version of the auld song from Robert Burns' poem of the same title is my favorite. The lyrics are below.



AULD LANG SYNE

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And never brought tae mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And days of auld lang syne? 

Chorus: 

For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne. 
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne. 

We twa hae run aboot the braes, 
And pou’d the gowans fine; 
We’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, 
Sin' days of auld lang syne.

Chorus

And we twa hae paidl’d i' the burn, 
Frae morning sun till dine; 
But seas between us braid hae roar’d 
Sin' days of auld lang syne. 

Chorus 

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! 
And gie's a hand o’ thine! 
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught, 
For auld lang syne.

Chorus x 2 

(The following verse in Robert Burn's poem is not included in this version of the song.)

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp! 
And surely I’ll be mine! 
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne.
 Edit: As one of my Facebook friends said, "...a cup o' kindness" may be the most important words in the song.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

How many of you know the lyrics to "Auld Lang Syne"?



Or if you prefer the pipes...



The Scots - they are a proud people. I've seen their lovely Highlands.

A BLESSED AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

 

Dougie MacLean with the New Year song.

A BLESSED AND JOYOUS NEW YEAR!

Stonehaven Fireballs Ceremony 2003

Celebrating the New Year in the Scottish style:

HOGMANAY

WE are come to the door,
To see if we be the better of our visit,
To tell the generous women of the townland
That to-morrow is Calendae Day.

May God bless the dwelling,
Each stone, and beam, and stave,
All food, and drink, and clothing,
May health of men be always there.

Should the guisers be inhospitably treated, they file round the fire withershins and walk out, and raise a cairn in or near the door, called 'carnan mollachd,' cairn of malison, 'carnan cronachd,' scaith cairn.

They tramp loudly, shaking the dust of the place off their feet, and intoning with a deep voice the following and other malediction.

The malison of God and of Hogmanay be on you,
And the scath of the plaintive buzzard,
Of the hen-harrier, of the raven, of the eagle,
And the scath of the sneaking fox.

The scath of the dog and of the cat be on you,
Of the boar, of the badger, and of the 'brugha,'
Of the hipped bear and of the wild wolf,
And the scath of the foul foumart.

THE BLESSING OF THE NEW YEAR

GOD, bless to me the new day,
Never vouchsafed to me before;
It is to bless Thine own presence
Thou hast given me this time, O God.

Bless Thou to me mine eye,
May mine eye bless all it sees;
I will bless my neighbour,
May my neighbour bless me.

God, give me a clean heart,
Let me not from sight of Thine eye;
Bless to me my children and my wife,
And bless to me my means and my cattle.

Benedictions and maledictions from Carmina Gadelica here and here.



Robert Burns - "Auld Lang Syne"

A lovely version sung by Dougie MacLean from the album "Tribute".

Click on the snowflake for the snow effect.

New Year's Prayer

Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.

New Year prayer from Appleseed.