BEST MEMORIES OF THE PAST (Rasamindrakotroka Andry Tiana)

A gentle gaze turned towards days gone by,
To better dream of all that yet may lie;
The heart is stirred, the soul begins to see
What once was lived returns, so quietly.

As though but yesterday had just passed by,
Our loved ones stand beneath a calmer sky:
Some still with us, in life’s enduring thread,
And some returned to Eden’s peace instead.

The blessed days of innocence and light,
When we ran free, our hearts awake with sight;
With trust and hope along the winding way,
Our youthful steps knew neither fear nor sway.

At times we walked with simple lists in hand,
At others, ruled imagined, shifting lands;
Our games could crown us kings for but a day,
Or leave us lost in sorrow’s fleeting grey.

The days have passed—the bell has called its hour,
And learning came with quiet, shaping power;
Through effort, we were formed, refined, made strong,
In search of truth, of meaning all along.

Those who toiled and watched through restless nights
Sought fertile ground, far roads, and distant sights;
Old paths, wide markets, hopes both frail and grand,
All driven by a purpose close at hand.

Time passed, and so the soul itself was grown,
Through work and joy the seeds of life were sown;
Yet life will send both adverse winds and grace,
Not to undo—but strengthen and to raise.

For we are shaped, not broken, by the strain,
Made firm to build, to stand, to rise again;
Each path we walk, if true in what it gives,
Bears stones to cross—that deeper truth may live.

And success, bathed in its quiet light,
Is never weighed by gain alone in sight,
But by the will, the prayer, the faithful hand,
In every step we strive to understand.

To build a home both noble, just, and pure,
To raise our children steadfast and secure,
Beneath the watchful, sacred, guiding sight
Of God the Father and of Christ in light

RASAMINDRAKOTROKA Andry Tiana
19 May 2025
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