Christmas spirit in the air (sorry, long post)

My roommate had tickets to Music and the Spoken Word on Sunday. Since it was the special Christmas concert edition, and we have nephews about the same age, we took the two of them with us. They came over Saturday night and we had a sleepover. I love my nephew but he tends to drive me nuts. He's a talker and doesn't stop. I think he talked non-stop from Lehi to Orem with 3 stops in between!

We got up Sunday and had breakfast then left for Salt Lake. It had snowed Saturday night which made the drive a little scary and made us a little late but they let us in anyway and I think we only missed a couple of minutes.

During the broadcast they told the story of how Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the words to "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". I have always liked the song, but it wasn't one of my favorites but that all changed on Sunday. I found the text online and thought I would post it for those that may have missed it.

Longfellow's Christmas

Sleigh bells and laughter pierced the stillness of softly falling snow, as the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family, bundled in winter wool, whisked along in their horse-drawn sleigh. The five children giggled with delight.

Then, ringing down snow-packed lanes, across fields, and through the wooded hills and valleys pealed the bells—solo steeple bells and choirs of carillon bells—playing the familiar carols of Christmas. The Longfellow family delighted in their message of joy and peace.

But a few months later, fire ravaged their home. Trying desperately to rescue his wife Fanny, Henry was terribly burned. Three days later, on their 18th wedding anniversary, Fanny was buried - while Henry, confined to bed, fought to live—fought for the will to live.

Two Christmases came and went. Henry wrote, “How inexpressibly sad are the holidays.” “‘A merry Christmas’ say the children, but that is no more for me.” On Christmas Day, 1864, he wrote:

“And in despair I bowed my head;
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said;
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

At some time, each of us echoes the question of his broken heart: When pain, grief, and loneliness overwhelm us, where is the music of hope and peace?

For Henry, the answer came at Christmas. As the rising sun burnished the windows of the Longfellow home brilliant gold, pealing through the crisp morning air, came a clear, joyous ringing…Christmas bells.

From his lonely desk, Henry heard them. In that instant, his broken heart was healed. Renewed, he plunged his pen into fresh ink, and joyfully drew it across a sheet of snow white paper…

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Christmas bells still ring out a clear message: Out of suffering and despair, joy can flourish anew, and hope and peace be reborn. Peace on earth. Peace in each broken heart.

And so, as the bells pealed on, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow finished his carol of hope and faith:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep,
“God is not dead; nor doth He sleep!
The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”

After they had done the regular Music and the Spoken Word broadcast, we got a special mini concert, but one of the best parts was when President Monson got up on stage to thank the special guests. My nephew was in awe that he was in the same room as the prophet. So cool!

Another fun part was when the organist played "Go Tell it on the Mountain". The first half of the song he played with only his feet! My nephew thought that was so cool. I told him that if after he learned to play the piano, he could learn to play the organ and play with his feet. He thought that sounded like fun.