Hi all,
I’ve only now managed to speak (read:type) about Heath’s passing. I have been living for the past twenty-four hours with a massive lump in my throat and pain in my heart. Who knew that a loss actually does cause a physical pain?
I searched and searched for an appropriate Scottish blessing, and I remembered that the Australian National Anthem was composed by a Glaswegian who wrote the anthem under the pen name “amicus”, which is latin for “friend”. How appropriate.
Here are the original lyrics (sourced from
http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_australia.htm)
Advance, Australia, FairAustralian sons, let us rejoice.
For we are young and free.
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea.
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In hist'ry's page, let ev'ry stage
Advance Australia Fair
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.
When gallant Cook from Albion sailed.
To trace wide oceans o'er.
True British courage bore him on.
Til he landed on our shore
Then here he raised Old England's flag.
The standard of the brave.
"With all her faults we love her still."
"Britannia rules the wave."
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross.
We'll toil with hearts and hands,
To make our youthful Commonwealth
Renowned of all the lands;
For loyal sons beyond the seas
We've boundless plains to share,
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair
Should foreign foe e'er sight our coast.
Or dare a foot to land,
We'll rouse to arms like sires of yore
To guard our native strand.
Britannia then shall surely know,
Beyond wide oceans roll
Her sons in fair Australia's land
Still keep a British soul.
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia Fair.
This has drained me and I hope to join in the discussion later on today.

Sandy - I'm in Glasgow too. Funnily enough - I just checked your profile - and you joined Bettermost on my birthday. How you doing? Hugs from not to far away...
Hi Kelda, it's so lovely to hear from a local brokie. Let's have coffee sometime.