Christmas Bells

I feel, since it is Christmas time, I should write a little something about what it means to me. Being at BYU means that there is a lot of singing. If you sing, you are in a choir. If you don't sing, you will be in a choir. Needless to say, being in a choir around this time of year means singing a lot of Christmas songs.(Yes, I know they aren't Christmas songs, but songs about Christ. Just bear with me on this one)
One of the songs I have sung multiple times over the past few weeks is one whose words were penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. (I seem to be going through a romantic phase lately) It begins by describing the ringing of bells on Christmas day, and how they sing to the world about "Peace on Earth, good will to men." Then on the third verse, the narrator cries  "But 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."
This line really rings true (pun intended), especially today. All to often you hear of the hate crimes which people are performing against each other, terrible things happening in the world, someone who kills another person, the misery and sadness of the world and the pessimistic attitude of those towards the future.
But, in the poem, the bells begin to ring louder and stronger saying "God is not dead! Nor doth he sleep! The wrong shall fail; the right prevail with peace on Earth good will to men!" While this song is a Christmas song, about Christmas day itself, it really isn't about the birth of Christ. It is about his overcoming death and being resurrected; it's about the atonement and sacrifice made  of the part of all mankind; it is about the ministry of Christ and how he was the ultimate example to all of us, and how we should live our lives, always doing service and having good will toward all men.
Sure, the world may be a terrible place. But, at the same time, it is a much better place than it could be. Because of what Christ did, mankind has purpose and meaning. It's no wonder why concourses of angels were present at the birth of Christ to shout praises to God in the highest and proclaimed, again, peace on Earth and good will to men. Because of Christ, these things can come to pass.
In reality, the bells are not singing about the state of the world. They are singing about how we should feel, about what our attitude should be. We should always have an attitude of peace on Earth, with a desire for good will toward men. That is one of the beautiful messages of our Savior, and one of the things which we should remember, not only during Christmas time, but throughout the entire year. We should be as the reformed Ebenezer Scrooge, who made a promise to keep Christmas in his heart throughout the entire year. May we, too, have that same attitude of optimism.