Blast from the Past

Photo : View from tower of St Fidelis Church looking west. The kids are playing in the yard and I can pick out the boys lavatories.
Today I received an email from a stranger.
Before you start on bragging rights about the number of times per day some total stranger sends you time sensitive messages with details of incredible fortunes just awaiting, let me tell you this was the genuine article. The writer wondered if I remembered the words of a hymn that was sung in primary schools a long long time when the world (including myself) was young.
I probably last sang that particular hymn at St Fidelis in 1955 but the human brain is a curious thing and I recalled it instantly.
O little Babe of Bethlehem! The Southern Cross shines down
As once a Star shone glorious above an Eastern townThe hearts of Bethlehem are cold, the streets are hushed with snow
The doors are barred, there is no room, dear Lord, where wilt thou go?Oh come sweet Jesus come to us! Australia’s sun is warm,
And here are loving hearts enough to shield thee from the storm
How my little heart swelled as I sang Australia’s sun is warm. Crikey, it’s been a long time since I felt like that.
I wish I could remember other more relevant things like childrens’ birthdays, PIN numbers and where I last put my slippers but, hey, you can’t have everything. In any case it was nice to know that someone else remembers the ditty.
Spare a shilling for a glass of sweet sherry