Auld Lang Syne AKA Old Long Since

We are in 2023! But before we completely dive into the new year, like the Scottish poet Robert Burns did in the 18th century, look back. You see, the poet was concerned the old ways, old expressions, old songs were being forgotten. The two nations, Scotland and England were joined into Great Britain. There was less singing of the the old songs, the speaking of Scottish Gaelic was fading. He decided to travel throughout Scotland and listen to old songs and stories and write them down. It is said he heard an old man singing a song we traditionally sing on the birth of the New Year, “Auld Lang Syne” which roughly means “Old Long Since.” To learn the tune, it is said Burns would try out the tune on the fiddle.

I like the lesson in the words to the song. Here’s part of it:

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,

and never thought upon;

The flames of Love extinguished,

and fully past and gone:

Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,

that loving Breast of thine;

That thou canst never once reflect

On old long syne?

What can we learn from those words? Often we might feel we should just move on. Move forward. What from? Grief perhaps. Shame. Errors we’ve made in the past. Loved ones who no longer are on this earth. We should definitely move forward. But before we do that, perhaps we need to look back. It might be to correct the errors we made–whether it is how we conduct business, relate to other people–particularly those close to us. Ask for forgiveness. It’s good to look back. It’s good to look forward. You can’t drive a car by just watching the rear view mirror. In the same way, you must look forward, but use the rear mirror to check what’s behind you.

My mother wrote she and my dad’s story more than twenty years ago. My older sister, Joyce, is a top notch editor and is carefully going through the book Mom wrote and editing it. Chapter by chapter. Word by word. Each time my siblings and I meet usually weekly on zoom, Joyce reads a portion of Mom’s book. It has been great to hear the story again. Our family is trying not to forget what was in the past. In her introduction, my mom–Rose–says this: “Tucked away are notes, diaries, pictures, memos, and other reminders…There were those rough places [God] made smooth, doors of bronze that He shattered. Iron bars that He cut through. Treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places…..Mom based those beautiful words on the prophet Isaiah:

I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
³I will give you hidden treasures,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name (Isaiah 45: 2-3).

My mother continues, “All this–that we might know that He is LORD, the Lord who calls us by our name.”

So, yes. Ring in the new year. Be glad the past year is past. There have most likely been wrong choices. Aching loss–we miss terribly the person who has died and is gone. Let’s look back. Check the rear view mirror. And also look forward. You need to do both.

I like it in the Gaelic. Auld Lang Syne. Enjoy below with me.