'Over the coffin pitiful we stand

Over the coffin pitiful we stand

It is not enough to love others; we must let them know that we love them. We must do it, too, before it is too late. Some people wait until the need is past — and then come up with their kindness.

When the neighbor is well again — they call to say how sorry they are he has been sick. When he has gotten through his sore trial — they come with their offer to help.

But the time to help is when your friend is in the deep floods of affliction — not when he has gotten out to shore and is safe. The time for friendship is in the friend's adversity, when evil tongues malign him — and not when he has gotten vindication and stands honored even by strangers.

Then there are those who wait until death has come — before they begin to speak their words of love. There are many who say their first truly generous words of others — when the others lie in the coffin.

They then bring flowers, although they never gave a flower when their friends were alive. Gentle things which lie in the heart for many years unexpressed — first find utterance in death's sadness. But it is too late then.

" Over the coffin pitiful we stand , And place a rose within the motionless hand."

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