Love’s Old Sweet Song

              One of my dad’s favorite songs is entitled “Love’s Old Sweet Song,” written by James Molloy in the early 60s.  Dad would hum this tune when he fixed things in our garage. (He claimed he could fix anything except a cracked egg and a broken heart.)  He would serenade his family with this melody when we were primitive camping.  I share the lyrics of this song with you.

Just a song at twilight

              My dad worked hard fifty weeks a year so he could take his family to the forests of either Utah or Arizona.  There he would build a camp with a fire ring, surrounded with large stones, on which all the food (especially the trout he caught during the day) was prepared.  But in the evening, this fire ring became our family gathering place.  We “burned” marshmallows on a green stick he would prepare to look like a sword for us – which we thought were delicious and made S’mores which were wonderful.  Just at twilight, he would begin singing this song and we would all join in.  Then he would crank up the Coleman lantern to we could find our way to our sleeping bags.

When the lights are low

              The only natural light we would have came from the moon (if it could be seen) and the fire itself.  The firelight seemed to encircle us and protect us as we sang other songs like “Old Mister Moon” or “Beautiful Katy”; Dad had a whole repertoire of camp songs in his head that he saved just for our family around a campfire.

And the flick’-ring shadows

              The burning of the campfire made all the shadows around our camp flicker and change.  Light from the fire bounced off the trees, our tent and the ground enclosing our camp, giving us glimmers in the night as we sang.

Softly come and go

              The shadows would vary as to the size of the fire. More wood meant more light.  Even as the fire waned, however, the flickering would come and go.  Looking back, I do not ever remember being afraid even though we were alone. (We had no idea what kind of “critter” was prowling in the night).   I suspect it was because I was with my family.

Tho’ the night be weary

              I share this with you because I imagine you have a childhood memory filled with love.  Memories like this make our hearts “be weary” sometimes.  I believe we all remember events that warm us, yet we know those times are gone forever and carrot ever be repeated.  So we treasure them even though they “weary” our hearts at times.

Sad the day and long

              Life has a way of giving us long and sad days at times.  Events often do not work out the way we planned, jobs change or are gone, loved ones die, a friend betrays us, homes break up, dreams fade and die.

Still to us at twilight

              Yes sometimes, when we least expect it, a scent of something will trigger a pleasant memory, hearing a melody will bring back a happy experience, a dream will spark a memory, a friends or family member will say, “Remember when . . .”

Comes love’s old song, Comes love’s old sweet song

              And we remember.  We remember the events and the people who came together at just the right time.  We may even remember the exact words we spoke.  But most of all, we remember the beauty, strength, charm and  maybe even some fun of “love’s old sweet song,” that filled the entire incident with joy and we are richly blessed.

              No wonder my dad loved this song.