As I was preparing to direct my one-act play THE WRITING OF “I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY” for a performance at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida on December 13, 2105, I re-read the lyrics of the carol and was awestruck how the words were as appropriate today as when they were written in 1863 during the Civil War: “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.’” Isn’t that the situation today, especially with the refugee crisis and wars going on? Great art, no matter what medium, transcends the day it was written. “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” as one example of great art has lasted because it speaks today’s issues—issues that are each generations’ issues.
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