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On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time (Song 81) by Rabindranath Tagore

 

On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time (Song 81) by Rabindranath Tagore

On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my lord. Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands.

Hidden in the heart of things thou art nourishing seeds into sprouts, buds into blossoms, and ripening flowers into fruitfulness.

I was tired and sleeping on my idle bed and imagined all work had ceased. In the morning I woke up and found my garden full with wonders of flowers.

On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my lord. Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands.

 

The poem carries a message of hope. At first, the poet feels sad for losing time and experiencing failures. But then, he realizes that no time is truly wasted because God is in control of everything. God takes care of all the work in nature: turning seeds into plants, buds into flowers, and flowers into ripe fruits. Every effort we make is noticed by God, so we shouldn’t get discouraged when things don’t seem to work out. God is kind and loving, always working for our good. Everything flourishes and becomes fruitful because of His blessings.

The poet experiences something special. He feels tired and falls asleep, thinking everything has stopped. But when he wakes, he finds the garden filled with beautiful flowers. This shows that God is always at work, even when we don’t see it. God loves all His creations and rewards our hard work with success. So, we shouldn’t be sad when things don’t go as planned. In time, we are rewarded for our efforts. When the poet feels exhausted and out of ideas, God’s touch refreshes him, filling his mind with new, beautiful thoughts, like a garden blooming with vibrant flowers.

The poet says: " On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my lord. Thou hast taken every moment of my life in thine own hands."

People often feel unhappy because they only see what's right in front of them. God’s ways are beyond our understanding. A poet may feel like a day was wasted with nothing achieved, but later, he learns that no moment is truly lost. Just like flowers that bloom suddenly, seeds have been growing beneath the surface all along. So, we should never lose hope, even when we don’t see results right away.

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