Brian’s Reflection: Friday, January 25, 2008


Here's A Bottle

Here's a bottle and an honest friend !
What wad ye wish for mair, man ?
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o' care, man ?

Then catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man :
Believe me, happiness is shy,
And comes not aye when sought, man.

- Robbie Burns, Scottish poet, born on this day, 1759

Ah! My friends Marty and Gilly will be lifting a glass to Burns on this Burns Night – and maybe eating haggis! Marty is wonderful at “declaring” Burns’ Address to the Haggis! Don’t turn up your nose until you’ve tried it – I love haggis. Though I was once giggled at by a B&B hostess on Loch Awe, who was a little taken aback that I wanted it for ….. breakfast. (With blood pudding and eggs etc – yum!)

A bottle and an honest friend. How important conviviality and friendship to help us through Life and “what [our] share may be o’care”.

Burns says, Live in the moment. That’s what I am going to try and do more in the future. So much of our Life goes by unnoticed and unappreciated and unengaged. And yet Life offers so much.

Simple. That’s one of the great delights of Burn’s poetry and song.

Hail to the Haggis!!

Brian+