Ethan, at age five, had his own version of the traditional Christmas carol, “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing.” I find his rendition instructive any time of year. As he could not relate in any way to the word “Hark,” he filled in with a word that rhymed and also made perfect sense to him. Ethan simply exchanged the word “Hark” for the word “Park,” For Ethan, the Christmas carol instructions, delivered in the opening line of the song, were as follows, “Park, The Herald Angels Sing!”
My thought after catching his word substitution was, “Ethan, that’s brilliant! I can’t possibly ‘HARK’ unless I slow down and quiet down and ‘PARK!’” The word “hark” is to akin the word we are familiar with in scripture, “hearken.” It means to “listen with careful responsive attention” (Merriam Webster Dictionary).
Some days I am so busy and distracted I don’t stop long enough to connect with the quiet, simple, daily manifestations of angelic assistance. If my heart is not full of “Glory to the new born King,” maybe I need to stop a while, to PARK on my knees, or with my scriptures, or my journal, in an easy chair with sweet music playing in the background and prepare to give attention to and receive the tender help of His holy angels who are round about me and sent to bear me up. (D&C 84:88) “Park! The Herald Angels Still Sing.”
By Nannette W.
Posted Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Re-posted from Nannette’s Christmas Archives Friday, December 16, 2011
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved. Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit. This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
Thank you! I am learning to “park” 🙂