Christmas Eve Reflections & Aspirations

On this special night and during this propitious time, I have been again inspired by the inherent beauty of the season and what it signifies.

Listening to Christmas music tonight on PBS Channel 9 recalled all those wonderful Christmases past, from my earliest memories to the present.

Despite the problems of individual moments in time, the one thing that remains constant and up-lifting is the spirit of love and compassion, which too often seems to be missing from our lives.

But, these things are never really missing, just temporarily obscured by our more worldly pursuits and distractions of the moment.

They are always present, patiently waiting for us to reconnect with what is eternally important in our lives!

All it takes is a single moment to understand this truth, again and again.

For me tonight, that moment came when I listened to a carol, 'The First Nowell'.

Although focused on telling the story of the Nativity, a few verses struck me as transcending that simple function.

'They looked up and saw a star, shining in the East beyond them far.
And, to the Earth it gave great light, and so they continued both day and night.'

Maybe it was my elevated emotional state that allowed me to see these short verses in broader perspective;
that constantly seeking to elevate our inherently good hopes and aspirations is the single act we need to achieve goodness in the world;
that this single act can illuminate the path we need to realize world peace, if we will just continue to do that night and day!

Not really so much to ask, is it?

Just imagine if enough of us tried it more often!

That is my single wish for the citizens of our community of life, which starts with family and friends, but extends much, much further.

Since we are in this life together, why not make it as good as possible for as many as possible?

Blessings to all, and to all a good night....