Daffodils (1807)

William Wordsworth 1770 -1850

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

Helen from what I have read here and seen with my own eyes you were very much like the daffodil embodying the spirit of resilience and reminding us that we too can persevere.  A beacon of optimism encouraging young people to push through their challenges.  You may no longer be with us, but I say do not despair look to the daffodils and remember a friend to us all.

And what of Wordsworth?  If you had been standing at his shoulder on that day at Ullswater I beleave you would have conjured a picture to challenge his poetry.

So why this picture?  I must admit it is not as goood as yours but some of the guys in it were in scouting as youngsters with you and now have children that have been in scouting with you.