Hopeton01 - Remembering . . .

". . . we are the Dead, short days ago,
 we lived, saw dawn, felt sunsets glow,
 loved, and were loved, and now we lie . . .

 . . . To you, from failing hands we throw
 the torch; be yours to hold it high."
                              ( From 'In Flanders Fields' by Lieut. Col. John McCrae )


Today was a melancholy one for me - Easter marks not just  Christ's Resurrection, but also the memory of friends and family who departed around this time over the  last 56 years, including my mother & father. Though they are no longer with us in body, they remain present in other ways, hence we who survive them live every day to meet the challenge of holding each representative 'torch' of theirs, on high.

So, each time I play my clarinet, I am holding high the torch for mum - who first taught me music and encouraged my every step. And each time I sow a seed or pick an Autumn apple, I remember dad who taught me the value of deep knowledge and patient persistence - so ably demonstrated through his diligent gardening skills & craftsmanship.

It's good to remember . . . and even better, to keep those torches held high !