hymns

I work at a Catholic school, so when I'm on weekend duty, I have to go to Mass with the kids. On occasion, I have to go with my team and have attended through things like school retreats. So over the past six years, I've heard a fair variety of hymns. Outside of the school song in Latin (I've almost got it!), which we sing at the end of every Mass, there are a few I actually recognize and have learned to love.
My favorite is one called "For the Beauty of the Earth." You may remember it from Little Women (one of the greatest book to move adaptions EVER) - they sing it at Meg's wedding while they're all circled around her, holding hands and flowers. It's lovely.
We sang it at Mass yesterday, and I just could not stop thinking about it. I think it's the sentiment -thankful and awed - but also that it's just so gentle and pretty. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the oldish hymns (this one's not particularly old since it was written in 1846), especially in contrast to most contemporary hymns, which really bother me because they seem to be the opposite of music, like they don't even try for a melody or rhyme or anything. This one, though, is perfect.