Mellifluous Mondays: Wistful Goodbyes

I leave for Michigan tomorrow morning, and though I'm thrilled to get back to classes and professors and my wonderful friends at school, it's hard for me to leave home this year. A lot of my relationships here in Lancaster have grown and matured this summer, so it's not as easy to say goodbye this time. I guess that's a good thing, right? :) Luke and I had a big party at our house last night and I was just overwhelmed by the blessings God has given me through my friends. We can talk and laugh and grow together, loving every minute of it and knowing that for each of us, the most important thing in the world is that God be glorified. How precious that is! Believers in Christ share something that nobody else will ever even understand, and what's more, that connection will last forever...because God's glorious kingdom is eternal, and so are our places in it.

Anyway, this is an Irish song about leaving your home and grieving over it, yet hoping to return someday. It's sung by The Dubliners and many other groups.

THE LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL

Farewell to Prince's Landing Stage
River Mersey, fare thee well
I am bound for California
A place I know right well

Chorus:
So fare thee well, my own true love
When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me
But, my darling, when I think of thee

I'm bound off for California
By the way of stormy Cape Horn
And I'm bound to write you a letter, love
When I am homeward bound

Farewell to lower Frederick Street,
Ensign Terrace and Park Lane
For I think it will be a long, long time
Before I see you again

Oh the sun is on the harbour, love
And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be a long, long time
Till I see you again

So fare thee well, my own true love
When I return united we will be
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me
But, my darling, when I think of thee