"The notion that such persons are gay of heart and carefree is curiously untrue. They lead, as a matter of fact, an existence of jumpiness and apprehension. They sit on the edge of the chair of Literature. In the house of Life they have the feeling that they have never taken off their overcoats."
- James Thurber, My Life and Hard Times

Friday, December 6, 2013

Christmas meanings

I'm not sure when any song that mentioned "snow" got dumped into the "Christmas music" genre, but here's one that spells out the Christ in Christmas.



I love Nat King Cole. I do wish these videos were more interesting, but what can you do with music from the past? I particularly love this song, for two reasons:

1. Back when I was a flying angel in the Crystal Cathedral's Glory of Christmas, my first entrance was for the song, "Angels We Have Heard on High." I would sit in the balcony, sweats over my tights and wait for the song, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" as my cue to undress and get into my flying harness and costume.

One mid-December, after doing two-to-three shows a night for three weeks, I was in a department store, shopping for gifts. The usual background music was playing. Suddenly, "O Little Town..." began. My body went into autopilot and I looked down to see myself unzipping my jacket.

I scampered out of that store while I still had my clothes on.

2. After I became a mom, this song took on a slightly different feeling for me. I want to be clear here: in NO WAY am I comparing my family to Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. NO. WAY.

There is a line in the song: The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Yes, the song is referring to the world and Jesus, however, it strikes me that it applies to any child born. As you hold that baby, you hold promise in your hands. Your hopes and fears. They could grow up to be anything, do anything. We all have hopes and fears for our future, but somehow a baby gives them a face.

Do songs change their meanings as your life goes through changes?

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