Last December, I penned new words to this old song, the title of which means "long, long ago," "days gone by," or "old times." Today I am posting this new recording. Maybe it will help you to reflect and celebrate the moments you just spent with dear friends, which left you somehow whole-hearted and longing for more, all at the same time. That's how Christmas and the coming of a new year work on me. Maybe this song will help you to make some sense of that feeling.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind

Lest auld acquaintance be forgot

I'll sing for auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear

For auld lang syne

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

Brim-fill that cup of kindness up,

Have a sip of wine and glow

Beside the tree, O pine with me

For the Christmas clock to slow

The Christmas clock to slow

I’d give you all I know and have

If the Christmas clock would slow

The auld lang syne, told there

In the heirloom wooden crèche

Too strange, too complicated, O

We regard with awe and hush.

As Mary gazed at shepherd guests

And wondered at their words,

I’ll hold you in my pond’ring heart

Old friend, still much unheard

Old friend, so much is still unheard

Old friend, so much unheard,

A chasm full, immeas’rable

Are your secrets still unheard.

Imagine yet a table set

For all I’ve loved before

For brother, friend, ea ch tear to mend

Sit there with me til morn

Til morning light intrudes on us

Til morning light intrudes

Unhurried, stay til night gives way

And the morning light intrudes

For auld lang syne, my dear

For auld lang syne

We'll take a cup of kindness yet

For auld lang syne.