With a Storm Advisory

A weather advisory
The icy storm hit
For a night of misery
To those stuck in it

And here it was
Christmas Eve
With the airports full
As none could leave

Each deep in thought
With little to say
The ticket that they'd bought
Was long since delayed

And... ignoring the crowd
Was a man in a suit
Working with head bowed
A... modern day scrooge

Just then a lone plane
Announced its departure
And many a poor souls came
Seeking a seat to secure

One... in the long line
Was mournfully in doubt
He'd not much more time
Till, to war, he'd be shipped out

All heard of his plight
But, they had theirs too
And this was their flight
What were they to do?

Then... the gate opened
And each ticket was handed
Till the last...in a suit
Gave to the soldier still stranded

Two honorable men
Of sacrifice
To each other softened
What words could suffice...

The man in the suit
Wished the other the best
Gave a proper salute
And left seeking some rest

The plane soon departed
As did others in time
And I left tender hearted
From this moment so kind

Verse 1] The weather desk warned of an icy storm But warnings came too late Christmas Eve found the terminal Packed beside the gates Coats were draped on luggage carts Cold coffee filled the air Every screen postponed another flight No promise anywhere [Verse 2] They held their tickets, checked their phones And watched the minutes crawl A child slept on a folded coat Near the departure hall A man in pressed gray trousers sat With his head bent low Counting all the things he’d lost And all he couldn’t show [Pre-Chorus] Then one small plane announced its gate And weary faces turned A hundred people rose at once For one last chance returned [Chorus] Make room for someone else tonight Though your own heart’s running late A little mercy at the gate Can change the shape of fate When every road is closed with ice And every plan is through The gift we give another soul May carry us there too [Verse 3] A soldier stood among the line His duffel at his feet He had a train to catch by dawn And orders overseas The travelers knew his story well But no one spoke his name They had their children, homes, and fears Their reasons were the same [Verse 4] The agent opened up the door And called the rows ahead One ticket after one ticket The final traveler said The man in gray looked down the line Then placed his pass in hand And offered it to the soldier Who could barely understand [Pre-Chorus] No speech could hold that moment still No photograph could prove Two strangers met beneath the clock And found one thing to move [Chorus] Make room for someone else tonight Though your own heart’s running late A little mercy at the gate Can change the shape of fate When every road is closed with ice And every plan is through The gift we give another soul May carry us there too [Bridge] The soldier raised a shaking hand The older man bowed low One wished the other safe return Then watched the boarding go A salute beneath fluorescent lights A kindness clean and plain While outside, snow erased the tracks And softened every pane [Final Chorus] Make room for someone else tonight Though your own heart’s running late A little mercy at the gate Can change the shape of fate When every road is closed with ice And every plan is through The gift we give another soul May carry us there too [Outro] The plane rose into winter The terminal emptied slow I carried that small act home with me Through streets of falling snow

Thomas S. Monson
December 6, 2009
First Presidency Christmas Devotional