Posted on 12/24/2004 7:30:47 AM PST by OESY
What place could be sadder at Christmas than a hospice?
Or so one might think. But my high-school-aged daughter discovered otherwise. She visited a hospice with her choir to sing Christmas carols. The residents were in the final months or weeks of their lives. Most were elderly, their faces gaunt, their eyes lusterless.
But as my daughter's choir filed from room to room, filling the halls with strains of "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World," the patients seemed transformed. They became animated. Most struggled to sit up, raising their voices to join in and sometimes weeping as they did so -- joyful tears, my daughter said.
Most striking, in my daughter's view, was that many of the people she was singing for -- even those seemingly comatose or barely able to move -- strained to mouth the carols' words or tapped their fingers beneath the sheets in an effort to participate in the music. Family members gathered around the beds holding hands and exchanging smiles, their burden lifted for a moment.
Such is music's power to inspire and comfort -- a power that can exceed that of words alone. What accounts for this magic? What gives songs like "Silent Night" the ability to lift the spirits and gladden the hearts even of those facing death?
In part, of course, we love Christmas carols because of their beauty, which adds to the spiritual power of their message. And they touch the deepest chords of our memory....
We should remember, however, that "Holly Jolly Christmas" will not lighten hearts burdened with suffering, and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" will not reach the depths of a wintry soul or bring tears of joy to anyone's eyes.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Yah well, there is no message in those songs. There is no "Holy Imagery" or reverential tone to it. It's like the difference between gregorian chant, and guitar songs.
I tried to visit WSJOnline but all I got was this lousy subscription page. Anyway, nice article. When I was a kid singing in choir, the nursing homes were the only places where people actually sang along!
Amen!
These are some young kids who know the true meaning of Christmas. I'm just shocked that someone, who had a kind in the school, didn't file a suit to prevent the children from singing such meaningful songs.
Several years ago a dear friend from college came back to town to visit her mother. Her parents had been pillars of the local RLDS Church. Her father had passed away and her mother was in the last stages of alzheimers. Hari Mandir had become a Sihk. The home had called her and told her that her mother was unable to eat or drink and that her lungs were starting to fill up. They wanted her here to decide whether to take measures to feed her etc. Of course, she didn't want any measures taken but wished her a peaceful death. She and I went to the nursing home in Independence, found a hymnal in the lounge there and spent the afternoon singing hymns to her mother. She almost opened her eyes and her lips did move some. We sang all afternoon, often with tears in our eyes. Once or twice one of the LPNs would stop in and sing with us.
Then we went home. Hari Mandir called me the next day, her mother had passed away. We knew that she was content and ready to let go and that our singing had eased her path.
Wonderful article. Merry Christmas to all!
That is a wonderful article, OESY.
Thanks for posting it.
Thank you OESY for posting that article.
Christmas blessings to you.
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THE CHRISTMAS LINKS PAGE
http://www.truthusa.com/CHRISTmas.html
bttt
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