We are very fortunate that spring is fresh and damp and beautiful in Vancouver.
It is stunning to see mixture of rain clouds and sunny skies, the profusion of flowering plants from humble crocuses, to vibrant forsythia, to majestic dogwoods and magnolias, to the splendor of cherry blossoms and unfolding weeping willows and sturdy oaks. The eyes and the nose are given the full melody of colours and aromas, while the ears wish they could hear better so the sounds of explosive blooms and unfurling leaves could be sensed! Like the seasons of life for all living things, the face of nature in our communities is to be marveled about, to champion and to revere. The spawning of new life or new energy that comes every year is one of the true miracles of our experiences here and around the world. With this magical symphony of renewal, it is easy to forget about the beauty of ageing.
Today I wrote a poem for an old friend who will be celebrated by his family in early May upon the occasion of his 80th birthday.
I have had the privilege and pleasure of knowing this special person for about 52 years. He has lived a very interesting life, full of classical philosophy, full of railroads, full of classical music, full of adventures and full of lovely family. He has come through the hallways of hospitals, the profound severity of coronary artery disease, and the near-death experience of arrhythmia. He has surprised everyone with a special kind of resilience and stamina. He has shown the “springs” of these 80-odd years in all that he has pursued. He has brought renewal and freshness just like a Vancouver April. He is at the same time, larger than life itself. He has taught many what it means to be youthful in physical being and in soulfulness.
Thanks Richard for the many memories. I trust that your 80th birthday will be one for the ages….. It is so appropriate that your birthday is in May, as you are part of what spring should be like.