In the Name of God: The Extremely and Eternally Loving and Caring

I have always liked Coldplay and its songs, but I have never been a true fan…until after I saw them in concert. They put on an amazing show, and it gave me a much greater appreciation for their artistic genius. Their shows also gave me a greater appreciation for songs which, heretofore, I had no idea existed.

One such song is “Sky Full of Stars.” Yes, I hear, it was all over the radio a few years back, but I confess, I do not listen to commercial radio that much. When I heard this song in concert (which was truly amazing) – and then multiple, multiple times afterwards on my phone – it has captivated me:

‘Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars
I’m gonna give you my heart
‘Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars
‘Cause you light up the path

As I listen to the song, I cannot help but think of God. He is more beautiful than a “sky full of stars.” And because of that beauty, I cannot help but say to Him: “I’m gonna give you my heart.” His light truly is as a “sky full of stars” that “[lights] up the path.”

When the love of God takes hold in one’s heart, one cannot help but say:

I don’t care, go on and tear me apart
I don’t care if you do

The great thing is that, when you are in love with God, His love does not tear one apart; His love is soothing and full of healing and comfort. And as the song says, when one gazes in awe at the majesty of the night sky – with all its brilliant stars – one definitely sees God:

‘Cause in a sky, ’cause in a sky full of stars
I think I saw you

The second stanza of the song applies to our Lord just as much:

‘Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars
I wanna die in your arms
‘Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark
I’m gonna give you my heart

Every time I hear this, I pray to the Lord that I die in His arms. He indeed gets “lighter the more its gets dark,” always there to help us when times get difficult and dark. And – again, as I look at a “sky full of stars” – I behold the beauty of the Lord, and it’s “such a heavenly view.”

If my reflections on this song stop there, it would be more than enough. They don’t, however. As soon as I think of God in this song, my thoughts also immediately dwell on my daughter, who we lost to cancer in June 2009. Every single word of this song can apply to her as well:

‘Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars
I’m gonna give you my heart
‘Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars
‘Cause you light up the path

I don’t care, go on and tear me apart
I don’t care if you do, ooh
‘Cause in a sky, ’cause in a sky full of stars
I think I saw you

‘Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars
I wanna die in your arms
‘Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark
I’m gonna give you my heart

I don’t care, go on and tear me apart
I don’t care if you do, ooh
‘Cause in a sky, ’cause in a sky full of stars
I think I see you
I think I see you

‘Cause you’re a sky, you’re a sky full of stars
Such a heavenly view
You’re such a heavenly view

As soon as I saw her, I gave her my heart. She lit up, not only “the path” of our lives, but everything around her. Her smile was enough to light up the room, light up our spirits, and light up my heart.

As her disease progressed, and we watched her deteriorate slowly, it tore us apart. But, we didn’t care because she was still with us. By the time she was 10, she couldn’t walk anymore, and I had to carry her everywhere we went. I knew that people would see me do that and feel sorry for me. But, I swear by the Beautiful Face of the Beloved, I didn’t care. I was the happiest man in the room, even though I may have struggled a bit to carry a fairly large child into the house.

I was the happiest man in the room because I had my “sky full of stars” in my life. What’s more, up until the very end – when her disease made her truly miserable – she never lost her smile. She never complained. She never once – again until the very, very end – say “I can’t take this anymore.” Her attitude in the face of severe disability and illness was nothing short of awe-inspiriting. Truly, truly, she got “lighter the more it gets dark.”

Her loss did not fail to “tear me apart.” The pain of her death continues to haunt my heart, and whenever I go back to those beautiful memories of her, it can become overwhelming very quickly.

And so, all I am trying to do now is live a life of righteousness; I am trying – struggling, actually – to live up to the standards of my Beloved on this earth. That way, I can be blessed with Paradise and get to see my Booboo again. And, God willing, when I do, I know that she will be “Such a heavenly view.” Truly, truly, she will be “such a heavenly view.”