A Blue Box in the Basement and a Cup of Coffee : I Heard the Bells Worth Fighting for: Guest Post by Sam, Henry, and David

There are some things I can't put into words. Things I can't state in such a raw, real way as these men did. Thus I turn this post over to them:

Henry: I heard the bells on Christmas day,

There old, familiar carols play.

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth good-will to men.

David: Oh my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer.

by night, and am not silent.

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are.

Henry: Then from each black accursed mouth,

The canons thundered in the south,

And with the sound,

The carols drowned,

Of peace on earth good will to men.

David: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

So far from the words of my groaning?

Sam: It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened?

Henry: 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."

David: All who see me mock me;

They hurl insults, shaking their heads:

"He trusts the lord;

let the Lord rescue him.

Let him deliver him,

since he delights in him."

Sam: But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even the darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the story's that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why.

Henry: Then pealed the bells more loud and deep,

God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!

David: Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One,

you are the praise of Israel...
They cried out to you and were saved;
In you they trusted and were not disappointed.

Sam: I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. Because they were holding on to something.

Henry: The wrong shall fail.

The right prevail.

With peace on earth good will to men.