Tonight I watched a memorial that perhaps I can someday try to tell you about, but tonight my heart is too full. The incident involves a 9 year old little girl who was shot by an insane gunman along with 24 others, some killed, some wounded. She had just been elected to her school's student council and had gone to hear her US representative speak, and to meet her. This song was sung at her memorial.
Lyrics to "Simple Gifts" was written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine in 1848. These are the lyrics to his one-verse song:
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
The Shakers are much like the Dervishes--simple folks who had simple tastes. Above are the words to the song, and below is a video I present in memory of this small girl who was so violently killed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYi9Vr8bHJY&feature=related
Ali, I wonder if Thoreau might have known this song, or perhaps Emily sang it. It is their kind of song, don't you think?
Sue
PS Yo Yo Ma, one of the world's greatest cello players, is playing the melody in this video.
1 comment:
I'm so sorry to see you so sad, Sue. Please try to keep smiling despite these tragedies, despite the sadness. The happiness of all the world passes through each individual's smile. We must keep smiles alive otherwise those who are choked in their sorrows will have nothing to find in this world once they come back to us. We all look up to you, my dear friend.
Ali
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