Scarlet Ribbons for her hair By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

Scarlet Ribbons for her hair
By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

On a dank Christmas day in England, as the stiff winter winds howl and the rain splatters the windows, I sit by the warmth of a real fire.  I look back on my life, trying to recreate that atmosphere of the tropical Christmases I enjoyed as a child. My thoughts crossed the vast oceans to reach my childhood home. The thrill and romance of childhood Christmases are steeped in nostalgia. Christmas is a magical time for children the world over. I have many childhood memories of Christmases at our ancestral home in Kegalle, where the Amerasekera clan gathered. Eating, drinking, and merry-making were the norm. For us children, receiving our presents from Santa was the best thing that happened during Christmas. I do recall with such clarity my letters to Santa and those fervent prayers to God that my wish will be granted.

There is a song that is played during this festive season about a girl’s prayer for a beautiful and charming gift. It is a special gift that would make her look prettier and more glamorous. The popular ballad was written in 1949 by Evelyn Danzig with lyrics by Jack Segal.  Reportedly, this is a fictional story, and the music was composed in 15 minutes. The song was first released by Jo Stafford in 1949. I well remember her face from the bubble gum pictures I had all those years ago. Many recorded this song, including Jim Reeves and Roy Orbison. But in Ceylon, it was the Harry Belafonte version that became a smash hit in 1956. The song is a soulful ballad called ‘Scarlet Ribbons’. It is a simple tale of miracle and faith with a happy ending. This indeed plucks at the heartstrings to evoke a strong feeling of love and sympathy. Belafonte’s performance, featuring a simple guitar accompaniment, captures the mood of the moment perfectly. His rendition is critically lauded for its sensitive, tender vocal delivery, showcasing his ability to handle ballads with intimate emotional depth. The song is frequently highlighted for its soothing quality and remains a highly rated, beloved classic in his repertoire.

I peeked in to say good-night

When I heard my child in prayer

"And for me, some scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for my hair"

All our stores were closed and shuttered

All the streets were dark and bare

In our town, no scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

Through the night my heart was aching

Just before the dawn was breaking

In our town, no scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

I peeked in and on her bed

In gay profusion lying there

Lovely ribbons, scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

If I live to be a hundred

I will never know from where

Came those lovely scarlet ribbons

Scarlet ribbons for her hair

Prayer is a universal phenomenon. It is a practice as old as history itself and spans almost all regions and religions.  Prayer is a method for communicating with the divine, expressing devotion, or seeking help. For some, prayer is making a rapport with God. For others, prayer means cultivating compassion, wisdom, and inner peace. Hence, it becomes a form of meditation and mindfulness.

My father worked for the government. Every 4 years, we had the enormous task of uprooting ourselves and moving to a new location, the so-called “Transfers”. To give my education some stability I started schooling in Nugegoda staying with my grandparents. We lived opposite the Anglican Church of SS Mary and John. Around the corner from us was St John’s School. For me it was an idyllic life. My grandparents loved me so dearly that I could get off with a lot of mischief. It was my weekly routine to attend Sunday school. There we learnt lots of children’s hymns. The teachers were ever so kind and taught us how to pray. They asked us to bring our hands together and be friends with God.  While thanking God we could ask his help and make requests.

When I was 9 years old, I was sent to boarding school. This being a Methodist School Christian worship included prayers every morning at assembly. In the boarding, we had a small Chapel for evening prayers. On the wall behind the lectern was a lovely painting by the German painter Albrecht Dürer of the Praying Hands. There is a poignant story about this painting. I was in the junior dormitory, and it was our nightly ritual to pray kneeling by our bedside before the lights were turned off. I prayed for my parents’ well-being. There were times when I prayed that Wesley beat Royal College at cricket at the next weekend. It was a frivolous request, and sadly, we were comprehensively beaten. Once I had forgotten to memorise a couple of poems for the next day, I prayed the teacher would not turn up to take the class.  I know not if that was the power of prayer, and surely enough, he did not turn up.  As a child, I did find prayer comforting and felt it was so wonderful to have an all-powerful person to guide and help me.

The song is frequently associated with Christmas, but its message of wonder and care is often timeless. Although the old adage suggests every story has a moral, this is not strictly true. Personally, for me, it is a simple story that depicts an amazing childhood moment, a kid’s innocence and the depth of parental love. As an octogenarian, I still pray and get enormous comfort from it. The focus of my prayers is now different from when I was a child. It is now more a form of meditation and mindfulness. Prayer can reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. This indeed makes me feel calm and at peace.

I am deeply grateful for my Christian upbringing. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to my parents, grandparents, and the school for instilling in me the ability to distinguish right from wrong and for guiding me to lead a principled life. I am also profoundly appreciative of what I have learned from Buddhism, which has greatly contributed to my sense of inner peace and understanding of the world. While I have not always lived up to these values, I remain guided by my conscience, which continues to serve as my moral compass in striving to do what is right.