Apple Swing

In December of 2003, a Grammy winning lead singer and an Oscar winning actress were married in a private ceremony. When Gwyneth Paltrow was asked why she didn’t have an elaborate Hollywood event to celebrate her marriage, she said she couldn’t go along with the traditional style because she didn’t have her father to walk her down the aisle. I thought that was one of the most heartbreaking things I had heard. I can’t imagine not having my father walk me down the aisle, and in the same circumstances, I might have an Elvis impersonator seal the deal. Some of my most cherished memories are the times when my hand has been tucked in the crease of my father’s arm. Whether it was on a football field or through a crowd, I was always comforted to know he was by my side. Annie and I were talking, and I told her of the story. She remembered that Chris Martin wrote Fix You for his then girlfriend, Gwyneth, after the loss of her father. This is my favorite song from Coldplay, because it displays the caring desire he has for her. I received a phone call a few days ago from one of my best friends. She was upset, and all I could do was implement my knowledge of the Bible and the comfort of God. I wanted to be there with her and hold her through this tough time. I knew I had nothing to say that could bring the comforting knowledge that she needed, so throughout our conversation, I was praying that God would give me His wisdom to comfort the friend that I dearly love, because when the ones we love are hurting, so are we.

When I found the following description, I called Annie immediately.

“Chris wrote this song for Gwyneth Paltrow after her father died. She came home from the hospital, covered and drenched in tears. He started crying and asked her, ‘What can I do’. She looked up at him and said, ‘Just hold me… because you are the only thing that can fix me right now’.”