As we enter the Christmas season of carols singing the praises of peace, it’s disheartening how little harmony one may find.
Nationally, the Senate gears up for a week preparing for a vote on health care. One can be sure partisans on both sides of the aisle and both sides of this issue will enter into plenty of angry exchanges that will include very few greetings of Merry Christmas.
Locally, two days prior to Christmas, the Valdosta City Council will address a plan to condemn Five Points. Don’t be surprised if City Hall isn’t filled with heated words rather than warm wishes for the holidays.
Though these issues will fill newspaper columns and the airwaves for the next few days, we should strive to remember the blessings in our lives. We should take a few moments to give thanks for these blessings and to share with family and loved ones, not just our time this holiday season, but what they mean to us.
Past political bickering, we should remember those who will not be with family this year. We should remember those who know better than words the never-ending hope for peace on earth and the brutal reality of how difficult it is to achieve.
We should remember our fellow Americans overseas, fighting wars in faraway places. We should remember those military personnel who cannot come home for Christmas. We should remember those who will face danger this Christmas.
Before railing against one another in the heat of politics, we should remember those who will not be with their families. And though we may disagree on issues, we should remember the true meaning of Christmas.
