One of the Christmas traditions in my parents’ home is a small family “program” on Christmas Eve. My dad asks us each to share a quote, scripture passage, or other thought related to Christmas. I had recently been listening to Coldplay’s latest album Mylo Xyloto. I was struck at the similarity between the album’s last song, Up With the Birds, and a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland.
Coldplay (my emphasis):
The birds they sang, break of day
Start again I hear them say
It’s so hard to just walk awayThe birds they sang, all a choir
Start again, a little higher
It’s a spark in a sea of grey
…
Might have to go where they don’t know my name
Float all over the world just to see her again
But I won’t show or feel any pain
Even though all my armour might rust in the rain
A simple plot, but I know one day
Good things are coming our way
Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead–a lot of it…. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.