Philippa

A karaoke session of Robbie Burns' favourites - My love is like a red, red rose; Scots, wha hae; Ae fond kiss; Ye banks and braes; Green grow the rushes, O; Coming through the rye; finishing up with of course, Auld lang syne :-)

What could be more telling than the Preacher's picture of old age - the "days of trouble" - in Ecclesiastes 12:

Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
“I find no pleasure in them”—
2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;
3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;
5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.

Some things don't change!