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I love to Live
Today dear Lord I'm 80, and there's much
I haven't done,
I hope dear Lord you'll let me live until I'm 81.
But then if I haven't finished all I want to do
Would you please let me stay awhile until I'm 82?
So many places I want to go - so much I want to see
Do you think you could manage to make it 83?
I hope dear Lord you'll let me live until I'm 81.
But then if I haven't finished all I want to do
Would you please let me stay awhile until I'm 82?
So many places I want to go - so much I want to see
Do you think you could manage to make it 83?
The world is changing very fast; there is
so much in store;
I’d like it very much to could live to 84
I’d like it very much to could live to 84
And if by then I'm still alive I'd like
to stay till 85!
More planes will be up in the air, so I'd really like to stick
And see what happens to the world when I turn 86.
More planes will be up in the air, so I'd really like to stick
And see what happens to the world when I turn 86.
I know dear Lord, it's much to ask
(and it must be nice in Heaven.)
But I'd really like to stay until I'm 87.
I know by then I won’t be fast and sometimes will be late
But it would be so pleasant to be around at 88.
(and it must be nice in Heaven.)
But I'd really like to stay until I'm 87.
I know by then I won’t be fast and sometimes will be late
But it would be so pleasant to be around at 88.
I will have seen so many things and had a
wonderful time-
So I'm sure that I'll be willing to leave at maybe 89.
Maybe just one more thing I'd like to say
Dear Lord, I thank you kindly
But if it's okay with you, I'd love to live past 90.
So I'm sure that I'll be willing to leave at maybe 89.
Maybe just one more thing I'd like to say
Dear Lord, I thank you kindly
But if it's okay with you, I'd love to live past 90.
oOo
The
interesting thing about this poem is that I was given it for The Walmley Bulletin and published it complete with the author’s name as given to me, Paula Laking, but
I have seen it on the Net as having been written by a number of people. One was
on a forum, when the supposed author asked others to correct it because her
grammar wasn’t good. One obliging forum member did just that.
My search
revealed that most times the poem appeared as author unknown, but I did find it
under a different title:
A PRAYER AT 80
by
Helen Collings
Born March 2 1915
It was posted by Barbara Maddox, of Barbara MaddoxMinistries, who wrote:
“Helen Collings
is a precious friend of mine personally and has been a supporter of Barbara
Maddox Ministries for many years. Her prayers have been a support that I have
held to many times and on any assignment from teaching a Sunday School class to
a trip on the mission field, I knew she would be faithfully praying for
God’s will to be done and for many souls to be saved, baptized, filled with the
Holy Spirit and then to go forth in their call for the Lord’s work.
Helen is truly
one of those rare jewels that God gives to us and we treasure for a life time.”
oOo
The poem was written in yearly segments with her birth date
under each one which suggests that she wrote it as the years progressed. It
seems, therefore, that the poem was stolen by others and claimed as their own. How
easy it is to lie on the Internet.
Great poem and one we, who are past 60, can empathise with. ;)
ReplyDeletecool poem...and cool that it was a progressive poem added to each year....sad though that people have stolen it from her to claim as their own...so easy to do on the net...
ReplyDeleteBrian, it makes me wonder how much of our stuff is 'stolen' on the net. I guess it's a chance we have to take.
ReplyDeletePearl, the worrying thing is that I am almost keeping up with the author :O)
AWESOME poem, Valerie!
ReplyDeleteAnd how interesting to read about the journey you went through in coming in contact with the poem and then discovering its original author.
I've often used poems or quotes from various authors, celebrities, etc. on my blog; just assuming it's true. But as you shared, you can never really be sure on the Internet because people will sometimes fib about it, alter it, or claim it as their own.
That's the thing about the Internet...original works can be stolen so easily.
Have a super Saturday, dear lady!
X
Ron, it is sad that so many people choose to deceive. A blogging friend has had to resort to extreme measures to protect her work. It's enough to drive us away from the Net, but then we would lose the pleasure it gives us.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem and I feel just the same. All of a sudden, since I turned 60, there is just too much to do - too many books still to read, too many places to visit. It's daunting.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that so true?? I love the poem though.
ReplyDeleteThe NET is a wonderful thing, but
ReplyDeleteas with everything these days you have to be wary of complete trust... it is way too easy to manipulate the truth .
Glad you finally got to the the real story.
Oh, I just might have to ditto what others have said and leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteBut boy--it's so disturbing to me when others take credit for anothers work.