May We Hallow Life’s Brief Span

The passing of a friend can often be the prompt
Sets the mind reflecting on this finite span
In childhood and youth there seems no end to time
In middle age, too busy, consolidating life’s gains

And approaching retirement can pull us up quite sharply
One quick retro-glance reminds us less than half left in our glass
Mind you the modern retiree – despised by many younger
Is conqueror of the world as o’er its globe they trot

Intent on spending their defined benefit pensions
Lump sums are blown hedonistically on experiences of a lifetime
Or taking early release within new pension freedoms
Why not they say? If life is short – live it to the full!

Darkly we observe the loving concern of the staff of the local
Care Home who strive to nurture their charges’ lives
As in second childhood they sleep twilight days away
Is this how we spend the bonus of a longer life?

But what about a Christian dimension to all of this?
The biblical span of years is now oft exceeded
But should our creed not permeate all the years
From earliest understanding to mature faith?

Notwithstanding the fact that our life seems long
Against the background of history its span is brief
So how can we hallow the years we have been granted?
How do we live the philosophers’  worthy life?

And as we tread life’s path in daily increments
We might seek to live and love as God would wish
Not neglecting our duty to ourselves and kith and kin
But seeking always to support others as best we can

And so life’s span would thus indeed be hallowed
All our encounters, all deeds both great and small
Made somehow holy as others we would seek to honour
And thus their lives and our own be truly blessed

Ken Fisher

[HALLOW: To make holy, consecrate, sacred, sanctified, blessed, venerated]