LIFE, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall?

Rapidly, merrily,
Life’s sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily,
Enjoy them as they fly!

What though Death at times steps in
And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O’er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!

– Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)

As a teenager in school, I remember staring at the clock on the back wall, wishing the hands would move faster. Years later, I am struck by how quickly time flies.

We often characterize critical situations as matters of “life and death,” yet every moment we live carries such urgency. We understand the law of averages, but none of us can number our days with certainty. When loved ones leave us without warning, we feel unprepared, abandoned – even undone. We search for ways to symbolically release them “as they fly” at their appointed time, endeavoring to continue on and cherish the hours that remain in our own lives.

Duration: 4:45