For old times’ sake!
It is that time of the year where
your mind wanders through the memory lane to relive those special
moments you shared with your loved ones in the past twelve months
Amalshan GUNERATHNE
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Robert Burns |
Both nostalgic and happy scenes from the past year start to flicker
through your mind’s eye. “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never
brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot and Auld Lang Syne?”
questions Robert Burns in his popular lyrical poem Auld Lang Syne.
Burns’s song Old Lang Syne is well known in many European countries and
is often sung to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of
midnight.
They say that the best way forward is to let go of your past and
start living in the present moment. But Burn’s tone is such that he
questions whether it is justifiable for us to let go of our memories
that easily. He questions: isn’t it bit hypocritical of us to simply
forget our past acquaintances by burying them in our past?
The Scottish phrase Old Lang Syne, meaning ‘for the old time’s sake’
invites us to initiate the time machine and travel through time to those
wonderful memories that we shared with our loved ones in the past year.
As the song goes on, our mind begins to drift back into the priceless
memories of our past.
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The song is sung to celebrate the New Year |
At the same time, certain weariness may creep in as you wondered into
the nostalgic times of the past year. Still memories are supposed to
refresh your mind and provide purpose for the present moment.
“To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it
and to render it more fit for its prime function of looking forward,”
said the English writer Margaret Fairless Barber (1869-1901). Burns’
poem does this to the perfection, as he fills the reader’s mind with
vibrant life and positive energy, thus making him look forward with a
positive and refreshed frame of mind to the year that lies ahead. It is
more a lyrical song or a ballad than a poem which is very popular in
English speaking countries. The song is often sung to celebrate the
start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight.
English translation of Auld Lang Syne
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne. |
