Some inspirational readings to help you say Farewell ...
LITTLE SNOWDROP
The world may never notice
If a Snowdrop doesn't bloom,
Or even pause to wonder
If the petals fall too soon.
But every life that ever forms,
Or ever comes to be,
Touches the world in some small way
For all eternity.
The little one we longed for
Was swiftly here and gone.
But the love that was then planted
Is a light that still shines on.
And though our arms are empty,
Our hearts know what to do.
For every beating of our hearts
Says that we love you.
LOOK FOR ME IN RAINBOWS
Time for me to go now, I won't say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky.
In the morning sunrise when all the world is new,
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.
Time for me to leave you, I won't say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, high up in the sky.
In the evening sunset, when all the world is through,
Just look for me and love me, and I'll be close to you.
It won't be forever, the day will come and then
My loving arms will hold you, when we meet again.
Time for us to part now, we won't say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, shining in the sky.
Every waking moment, and all your whole life through
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.
Just wish me to be near you,
And I'll be there with you.
Conn Bernard, and Vicki Brown
AFTERGLOW
I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun;
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.
THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS
When despair grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light.
For a time
I rest in the grace of the world,
and am free.
Wendell Berry
THE UNFINISHED
We cannot judge a biography by its length,
Nor by the number of pages in it.
We must Judge it by the richness of its contents
Sometimes those unfinished are among the most poignant.
We cannot judge a song by its duration
Nor by the number of its notes
We must Judge it by the way it touches and lifts our souls
Sometimes those unfinished are among the most beautiful.
And when something has enriched your life
And when it's melody lingers on in your heart
Is it unfinished?
Or is it endless?
I give you this one thought to keep.
I am with you still. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle Autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not think of me as gone.
I am with you still in each new dawn.
TO MY FATHER
A giant pine, magnificent and old,
Stood staunch against the sky
and all around shed beauty, grace and power.
Within its fold, birds safely reared their young.
The velvet ground beneath was gentle,
and the cooling shade gave cheer to passers-by.
Its towering arms, a landmark stood,
erect and unafraid,
As if to say, "fear naught from life's alarms."
It fell one day.
Where it had dauntless stood
Was loneliness and void.
But men who passed paid tribute, said,
"To know this life was good.
It left its mark on me. Its work stands fast."
And so it lives.
Such life no bonds can hold -
This giant pine, magnificent and old.
Georgia Harkness
TOO SOON
This was a life that had hardly begun
No time to find your place in the Sun
No time to do all you could have done
But we loved you enough for a lifetime
No time to enjoy the world and it's wealth
No time to take life down off the shelf
No time to sing the songs of yourself
Though you had enough love for a lifetime.
Those who live long endure sadness and tears
But you'll never suffer the sorrowing years
No betrayal, no anger, no hatred, no fears
Just love - Only love - In your lifetime.
Mary Yarnall
EPITAPH ON MY OWN FRIEND
An honest man here lies at rest
As e’er God with His image blest:
The friend of man, the friend of truth;
The friend of age, and guide of youth:
Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d,
Few heads with knowledge so inform’d.
If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.
Robert Burns
FAREWELL
Farewell, my friends.
It was beautiful as long as it lasted
The journey of my life.
I have no regrets whatsoever
Save the pain I’ll leave behind.
Those dear hearts who love and care,
And the heavy with sleep, ever-moist eyes.
The smile in spite of a lump in the throat
And the strings pulling at the heart and soul.
The strong arms that held me up
When my own strength let me down.
Each morsel that I was fed
Was full of love.
At every turning of my life I came across good friends,
Friends who stood by me
Even when the time raced me by.
Farewell, farewell my friends
I smile and bid you goodbye.
No, shed no tears for I need them not,
All I need is your smile.
If you feel sad, do think of me
For that is what I’ll like.
When you live in the hearts of those you love
Remember then
You never die.
Rabindranath Tagore
When you are sorrowful look again into your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Kahlil Gibrain