Love, Peace and Simplicity

The latest shock and awe of the Iraq War are the killings in Mosul. Every time I can't endure another story like that...another one occurs. For those of us who are used to participating in "Christmas", maybe our trees should be covered with yellow ribbons instead of candy canes. My own little "environmentally friendly" tree will simply have lights...Lights mean "hope" to me, and one of my hopes is that the rest of our troops come home soon and safe! It is not safe for them anywhere else but home. For the sake of our humanity, we must pray and keep on hoping.

The deaths of so many soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere this year are changing the meaning of Christmas in the 21st century. The commercial "crap" just isn't going to cut it when it comes to any ONE soldier's life. And, the fact is that none of us will ever be the same again...because every violent death, every starving child, every mistreated and abused human being, every tortured soul is part of "us". Many of us feel it and know it, and others don't...but, nonetheless, it's true!

In order for our species to survive, we need to graduate from the "commercial" emphasis in our lives and become more loving and caring of "all creatures great and small" so that our children and grandchildren will not have their lives cut short.

We cause our own suffering by the choices we make. And, the transformational shift that we need so desperately to make right now is one from "excess" to a current day version of Christ-like "simplicity". I'd like to encourage you to cut-back on any "excessive" thinking (and the operative word here is "excessive") about material things and replace it with some thoughts about our troops and their families being reunited soon and safely. What better way is there to honor the birth of Jesus who symbolizes Love, Peace and Simplicity than by making our own lives more like that. And...if we can... sacrifice some of our time, energy or resources to do something for our soldiers or their families, or others who are suffering in another way perhaps without food, shelter, or enough clothing. Why not make this Christmas a more meaningful and spiritual one that will bring more peace to this world.