Dare to live.

On the internet i found the lyrics of a Dutch song from 1917 which i really like. I will write down the Dutch lyrics and a translation into English of it. My wife helped me translate it.

Mens durf te leven

Je leeft maar heel kort,
Maar een enkele keer.
En als je straks anders wilt kun je niet meer.
Mens, durf te leven.

Vraag niet elke dag,
van je korte bestaan.
Hoe hebben m'n pa en mijn grootpa het gedaan.
Hoe doet "˜t m'n neef of hoe doet "˜t m'n vriend.
En wie weet hoe of dat dan de buurman weer vindt.
En wat heeft het fatsoen voor geschreven.
Mens, durf te leven.

De mensen bepalen de kleur van je das,
De vorm van je hoed,
En de snit van je jas.
En van je leven.

Ze wijzen de paadjes waar langs je mag gaan.
En ze roepen o foei als je even blijft staan.
Ze kiezen je toekomst, ze kiezen je werk.
En ze zoeken een kroeg voor je uit en een kerk,
En wat je aan de armen moet geven.
Mens, is dat leven ?

De mensen ze schrijven je leefregels voor,
Ze geven je raad en ze roepen in koor :
Zo, moet je leven.
Met die mag je omgaan,
maar Die is te min.
En die moet je trouwen al heb je geen zin.
En daar moet je wonen dat eist je fatsoen.
En je wordt genegeerd als je "˜t anders zou doen.
Alsof je iets ergs had misdreven.
Mens, is dat leven ?
Het leven is heerlijk,
Het leven is mooi.
Maar vlieg uit in de lucht,
En kruip niet in een kooi.
Mens, durf te leven.

Met je kop in de hoogte,
En neus in de wind.
En lap aan je laars
hoe een ander het vindt.
Houd een hart vol van warmte,
En van liefde in je borst.
Maar wees op je vierkante meter een vorst.
Wat je zoekt kan geen ander je geven.
Mens, durf te leven.
Mens, durf te leven

Lyrics - Dirk Witte

People, dare to live.

Living is short;
And there's only one life;
Too late after that to wish for change,
People, dare to live.

Do not ask every day
of your short life,
What did my dad and my granddad do?
What does my nephew do? What does my friend do?
And what would the neighbours think?
And what has respectability prescribed?
People, dare to live.

Others determine the colour of your tie,
The shape of your hat,
And the cut of your jacket.
And your life.

They point to the paths which you can go along.
And they cry Oh shame, if you stop somewhere.
They choose your future, choose your work.
And they choose a pub for you and a church,
And what you have to give to the poor.
People, is that life?

Other people write life's rules for you,
They give you advice and they shout in unison:
This is how to live.
With this person you can engage,
But not with that one, they are no good.
And you have to get married, even if you don't like it.
respectability demands that this is the way to live
And you will be ignored if you do otherwise,
As if you had done something bad.
People, is that life?
Life is wonderful,
Life is beautiful.
But fly off into the air,
And don't crawl into a cage.
People, dare to live.

With your head high,
And your face to the wind,
Don't care what another might think.
Keep a heart full of warmth,
And love in your soul.
But be a king or queen in your own domain,
What you are looking for no one can give to you.
People, dare to live.
People, dare to live

Imbolc

Imbolc is the first of the spring festivals, yet it is mid winter. It is celebrated on the 1st or 2nd of februari. From my own experience the month of february can be actually the coldest winter month. But nature is now slowly awakening. In our garden the Tomasini's Crocus or Woodland Crocus is popping up and will soon be flowering. We also have some Snowdrops popping up. Some hardy winter-type weeds are slowly developing too. And our Birch tree is starting to get the stream of sap flowing. This is not visible unless a branch is cut, then the wound is "bleeding", as gardeners say. This sap stream is an unstoppable process, even with frost it keeps on going - as i have experienced in my own ork as a gardener. The changing of the seasons will proceed, even when the weather is bad and nature has to be on hold for a little bit longer. Only the Crocuses and Snowdrops don't seem to care about the weather and go on no matter what. If only they could wait a bit longer for better weather, then they could show their beauty longer. Now in february the wind and rain will make them lie down on the ground as soon as the flowers open. Still, they do announce the coming spring, despite being beaten down by the winter weather.

I'm looking forward to seeing our garden full of growth again, the new seeds coming to life, seeds from the plants from last year's summer, which died in the autumn. In my own garden i can witness the cycle of life happening.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMxeYEhUxYw