Music is worthless unless it can make a complete stranger break down and cry. -Imogen Heap, "The Dumbing Down of Love."

I was listening to music while washing the dishes tonight, as is my wont (an old habit acquired from the days when the dishwasher didn't work and Dad and I had to deal with the sink every night), and something happened. As Dar Williams sang "The Christians and the Pagans," I was moved to tears for reasons beyond me at the moment. I sank to my elbows, rinsed the suds off of my hands, and let go. I'd heard the song a number of times before, and I think what struck me this time was the timing. It's Advent now, and I've been sniping at all of the plastic wreaths and holiday sales and radio giveaway specials that get the 12 days of Christmas wrong (the 12 days of Christmas being the day of and the 11 days after, not the 12 days leading up to Christmas). On top of all that, I've been bogged down by schoolwork and a level of despair and cynicism regarding the world as a whole, what with riots in Greece, a global economic collapse, and general human selfishness and hate. In the midst of my funk, Dar gave me a picture of what ought to be this season, how we should behave. Regardless of religious belief or affiliation, this winter will be cold and lonely, metaphorically and literally, and if people can come together like in the song, "finding faith and common ground the best that they were able," then maybe, just maybe, there's some hope left for us all. And I am ever grateful that there are people like Dar out there coming up with beautiful reminders like this, because thanks to them will be even more who will hear and think twice about what it is they're celebrating this season and with whom and why.