Seize the buds, but not after they have fallen and died away. Most of us speak of the beauty of the flowers and the sweetness of their fragrance only after they have faded away. We pretend not to see them when they are full bloom, or we simply remain silent, or sometimes we even laugh at them.
To the Virgins, To make much of Time, is a beautiful poem by the 17th century English poet Robert Herrick. The poem begins with the line: Gather the Rosebuds while you may. The 1989 film Dead Poets Society, visualized the poem in the movie in a heart-moving scene. In this scene the English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), inspires his students to love poetry and urges them to ‘seize the day.’ He introduces the age-old theme carpe diem in literature, with the intention of prompting his students to reflect on their own lives.
He asks one of his students to recite the first line of the poem: Gather the Rosebuds while you may. Again, he asks the same boy to complete the stanza:
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Old time is still a flying
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.
Once the student completes the stanza, the teacher begins to elucidate the meaning of the poem to them. He asks them if they know the meaning of the Latin expression, Carpe Diem, which explains the first line of the poem. One of the students comes forward with the right answer:
“Seize the day!”
The teacher, again, elaborates the broad meaning of the expression and why the poem was written in such a way. He holds the students together and says in a soft voice:
“We are food for worms, lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold and die.”
Mr. Keating, the teacher, then takes the pale-faced students over to a wall of pictures of past Welton graduates, and continues:
“Look at these young students who sat here some 60-70 years ago in this same classroom, just like you. They believed they were destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes were full of hope, just like yours.”
He pauses for a moment and then continues:
“Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, those boys have turned out to be fertilizer for the daffodils.”
He tells them that those former students have a message for them if they are ready to listen closely:
“But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean on. Listen, you’ll hear it?”
The boys went closer with lot of interest and enthusiasm and tried to listen carefully. Then he gently, but powerfully, whispers in their ears:
“Carpe… carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”
I am pretty sure that those who watch this beautiful and inspiring scene will be fired up to make his/her life extraordinary. Similarly, the first lines of the poem, Gather the rosebuds while you may. Old time is still a flying. And this same flower that smiles today. Tomorrow will be dying, are also very inspiring, and they linger in our minds and thoughts forever.
How beautiful is the imagery, those who love you are blooming rosebuds! Your parents, your kids, your lifepartner, your friends, your classmates and your colleagues are all, in fact, blooming rosebuds. We need to try to respect them, love them and make them feel that they are our own.
Seize the buds, but not after they have fallen and died away. Most of us speak of the beauty of the flowers and the sweetness of their fragrance only after they have faded away. We pretend not to see them when they are full bloom, or we simply remain silent, or sometimes we even laugh at them.
Oftentimes, the same can happen in our relationship with our fellow beings. In Mathew’s Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples:
“Who do people say that Son of Man is?”
The answers are varied: “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16, 13-14).
Jesus, then, asks his classical question to his disciples:
“But who do you say that I am.”
‘Because you are the ones who walk along with me, who witness the miracles I perform, who listen first to the words I proclaim.’
May be that was the reason why Jesus raised such a question to them. And Peter was quick enough to give the right answer:
“You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.”
To be able to see God in our fellow beings while they are alive, and acknowledge them to be so, in their very presence are great things. Similarly, to appreciate someone when he/she is alive and care about a person when he/she is in need, and not when the/she passes away. What else is greater than these basic moral principles?
It is typical of human nature to appreciate and acknowledge others for their goodness and greatness only when they pass away. For instance, some people are keen to crown others with thorns of abuse or criticism while he/she is alive and find no problem in adorning them with a crown of flowers when he/she dies. Is it not simply absurd that we impose colossal crosses on people’s shoulders when they are alive in this world and adorn them with tiny crosses in their hands when they leave this world? And what about pulling someone’s leg while they are alive and putting on shining shoes on their feet for their funeral? We are usually hesitant to pray for others while they are alive; but once they die, oh, how lengthy are our prayers and rituals! How stingy are we to spare a single flower of appreciation for others when they are still alive, but extraordinarily generous to place a wreath of flowers on their dead body! No words of gratitude for others while they are alive, but a non-stop flow of words of appreciation at their funeral! Is it worth doing this peculiar show? Gather the Rosebuds while you may.
Let me humbly acknowledge that quite often I too behave likewise. I remember, my sister Jessy was diagnosed with cancer during the Silver Jubilee Year of her religious profession. The celebration of the jubilee took place a few months before she was diagnosed with cancer. At that time she was a member of St. Thomas convent, Aruvithura. Therefore, the Jubilee Mass and other functions were organized at the convent. Even before that, we had a simple but beautiful celebration at home. It was a combined jubilee celebration for two of my sisters. Sr. Ancy was concluding the Silver Jubilee year and Sr. Jessy was at the threshold of the Silver Jubilee year.
The Jubilee celebrations at the Convent were rather simple. There was a solemn Holy Mass at 7 p.m. The Mass was attended by the members of that convent and the inmates of their Children’s Home only. I was the celebrant of the Mass. I reached there sometime before 7 p.m. It has to be a jubilee Mass. I was to preach the sermon, but what to preach? The jubilarian is my sister. How can I speak highly about my own sister? What will people think if I do so? Will it be all right for my sister? Such thoughts came to my mind.
So before the Mass I told her:
“Jessy, I don’t want to highlight anything about you and Jubilee, neither will I speak anything personal about your life. It will be a general homily.”
She didn’t say anything in response, rather just a smile. That smile might have meant a lot, but I failed to catch it!
Nothing unusual happened. Everything went well. The chapel was on the second floor of the convent. The inmates of the children’s home presented a musical performance, felicitating Sister Jessy. Sweets were distributed. The children went to their residence and the sisters to the dining hall. My sister and I were waiting as directed by the sisters. At that moment, as we were left alone, Sister Jessy told me in a low voice:
“You could have said at least a few words about jubilee and my religious life as well.”
I felt like a powerful lightning piercing into my heart!
I felt like being unable to utter a single word. I simply kept looking at her eyes. Her eyes were sparkling with pride and contentment of a fruitful religious life she has been enjoying over the years.
“Twenty-five years… I have completed twenty-five years of my religious life. You could have said something about that!”
I was not able to look at her eyes anymore. My eyes were full of tears.
“Yes, I had to say something about her and about her 25 years of successful religious life. Who then, if not me? My fault, my fault, my most grievous fault!”
I stared at the darkness outside.
Gather the Rosebuds while you may. But now she is not with me. Even if I want to speak highly of her, to whom shall I speak? What shall I say and how?
I could not tell her anything when she really wanted to hear it for my mouth. It haunts me all the time. Therefore I write, so that no one else repeat the mistake I committed.
What guarantee do we have that our parents, kids, brothers, life partner, friends, colleagues etc., will be with us tomorrow? Or what guarantee do we have that we will be able to see the dawn of another day?
Who knows whether the ground underneath our feet will not swallow us up any time; or our breath can be held up at any moment, and our eyes can be closed forever? Rosebuds are now with you. It may fade away tomorrow.
Therefore, gather them today!
Written by: Fr. G. Kadooparayil MCBS
Translated by: Fr. Jaimon Mulappancheril MCBS