Week St. Mary Village - Village History

Food for Thought.......

This section contains articles, poems or prose that you might find pleasing to read and indicative of perhaps the way we should lead our lives. You are welcome to submit similar articles for inclusion on this page. They should be fully credited with the author's name where known and not breach anyone's copyright.

A SMILE
A smile costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who receive, without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business and is the countersign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and it's natures best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile, give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give. Anon.

KINDNESS

Kindness is a little star That twinkles in the night Kindness is a little flower That blossoms out of sight
Kindness is a loving word That no-one else can hear Kindness is a little song That brings a world of cheer	Kindness is a helping hand Across a busy street Kindness is the loving smile Which makes our joy complete
Kindness is a friendly face When one is growing old Kindness is a glowing warmth When all the world is cold	Kindness is a 'something' We never really see But how immense the difference It makes to you and me
	Anon.

DEATH IS NOTHING AT ALL

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without affect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.

All is well.

by Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)
Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral

DO NOT STAND AT MY GRAVE AND WEEP

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight.
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there — I do not die.

by Mary Elizabeth Frye (1904-2004)

TAKE TIME

Take time to work, it is the price of success.
Take time to think, it is the source of power.
Take time to play, it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read, it is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream, it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and be loved, it is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to look around, it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.

Old English Prayer - Author Unknown