Today (December 17) marks the birthdays of both John
Greenleaf Whittier and Ludwig van Beethoven. Both the Fireside poet and the
composer have been favourites of mine through the years. One of Whittier's most well known lines is
taken from the poem "Maud Miller." These lines have always hit home with me. Perhaps you can see why:
"For of all sad words of tongue or
pen
the saddest are these: 'it might have been.'"
As 2016 approaches, we
could all do well to keep those words in mind. I am resolved to say "yes" to
more adventures, within reason of course, and to circumspectly avoid "it
might have been" to the best of my frail abilities.
Whittier wrote hymns (almost one-hundred of them) that I
have only recently discovered. Though his theology is not spot on, nor one with
which I will ever align myself, they are lovely nonetheless. Here are the links
to a few that I have enjoyed and a few lines to sample:
Immortal Love, Forever Free:
"Immortal love, forever full,
Forever flowing free, Forever shared, forever whole, A never
ebbing sea!
All other names above;
Love only knoweth whence it came,
And comprehendeth love.
The mists of earth away:
Shine out, O Light divine, and show
How wide and far we stray.
To bring the Lord Christ down;
In vain we search the lowest deeps,
For Him no depths can drown.
A present help is He;
And faith still has its Olivet,
And love its Galilee."
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/m/immortal.htm
Shall We Grow Weary in Our Walk:
"Enough that blessings undeserved
That more and more a providence
That death seems but a covered way
Our outward lips confess the name
Blow, winds of God, awake and blow
We may not climb the heavenly steeps
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet,
Than to watch one hour in humbling prayer;
Life's great things, like the Syrian lord,
Our hearts can do and dare"
http://www.hymnary.org/text/shall_we_grow_weary_in_our_watch
All as God Wills, Who Wisely Heeds:
"All as God wills, who wisely heeds
To give or to withhold,
And knoweth more of all my needs,
Than all my prayers have told!
Have marked my erring track;
That wheresoe'er my feet have swerved,
His chastening turned me back
Of love is understood
Making the Springs of time and sense
Sweet with eternal good
Which opens into light
Wherein no blinded child can stray
Beyond the Father's sight"
http://www.hymnary.org/text/all_as_god_wills_who_wisely_heeds
On Beethoven:
One of my goals I determined to accomplish in 2015 was to be
able to play the first movement of Moonlight Sonata. After starting it in
January, the months of work that followed (and the constant reminders that an f
double-sharp is actually just a g natural) were not for naught. Though there is
still much work and improvement to be accomplished in the piece's execution,
two simple facts remain: I will never tire of working on Moonlight Sonata and I
will never be completely finished working on Moonlight Sonata. I realize that
never is a strong word, but I am using it in earnest. That is the timeless
beauty of finding a piece of music that resonates with you and plays your
heartstrings just as much as striking your piano's strings. The hours of work
and continued improvement of one's execution of the piece is pure joy.
Beethoven was a master of his craft and his work yet transcends time and
culture. It's hard to find the words to
express the power of excellent music, so I shan't attempt to do so. However, I
will close with a quote from a dear friend of mine: "God spoke through
[Beethoven] and his music even if he wasn't on God's side (but I hope he
changed his mind before he died)."- Kate Hardie
