A Special Day of Words

Winifred Emma May was a poet from the United Kingdom, best known for her work under the pen name Patience Strong (4 June 1907-28 August 1990). Her poems were usually short, simple and imbued with sentimentality, the beauty of nature and inner strength. Wikipedia

Just when we thought Spring was around the corner following our recent glimpses of sunshine and rainbows, March jumps in like a rampant lion, boisterous, bold, and carefree, to give us a dose of reality by reminding us that Winter has not done with us yet.

Let’s see what Patience has to say about March in one of her best collections Thoughts for Every Day (My regular ‘go to’ book for inspirational hope.)

Today, the 1st March, is also my sister’s special birthday.

All birthdays are special but when they have a nought on the end, it can either make you tremble with fear at how quickly the years have passed or it can encourage a wonderful time of reflection and counting of blessings through those passing years. There is a solace in knowing that, as long as they keep coming, it doesn’t matter about the number on the cards, only that we are blessed with having family and friends to share our birthday with.

Happy Birthday Sister!

In addition to it being my sister’s birthday, it is also St. David’s Day (or The Feast of Saint David, the Patron Saint of Wales) though it’s not his birthday. It marks the day of his death in 589 BC. Traditional festivities include wearing daffodils and leeks, recognised symbols of Wales and Saint David, respectively, eating traditional Welsh food including cawl, and women wearing traditional Welsh dress. An increasing number of cities and towns across Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and Aberrystwyth also put on parades throughout the day.

The day is not a public holiday in Wales, which has prompted calls for a St. David’s Day to be a bank holiday in Wales and some organisations designating unofficial celebrations. The feast has been regularly celebrated since the canonisation of David in the 12th century by Pope Callixtus II. (For the day’s significance read more here).

This is the final offering from Patience Strong for 1st March and is, appropriately, regarding daffodils, not only as a celebration of The Hoyden, my sister’s birthday, and St. David’s Day, but as a nod to Wordsworth and to anticipating the beauty yet to come.

May your soul feel nourished and the hope in your heart be alive through these words of Patience Strong I’ve shared with you today, as you anticipate the promise of Spring’s perfection.

With love for the journey,

Julie