Losses and Crosses

And, even should misfortunes come,

—I, here wha sit, hae met wi’ some,

  An’s thankfu’ for them yet.

  They let us ken oursel’;

They gie the wit of age to youth;

     Tho’ losses, and crosses,

They mak’ us see the naked truth,

  The real guid and ill.

     There’s wit there, ye’ll get there,

       Be lessons right severe,

     Ye’ll find nae other where.

Burns