“AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING LIKE A GRINCH”
CASEY COATES DANSON
Dear Folks,
At the risk of sounding like a Grinch, as a hardboiled realist and for this year in particular, I find traditional Seasons Greetings can’t quite assuage all that’s going on in the world today. Extreme human tragedy in Aleppo, ISIS onslaught in Europe, armed conflict, cultural dissension and political unrest throughout the Middle East, threats of attack from North Korea, and endless partisan and post election bickering here at home, all strike a strong note of discord that is completely incompatible with the Season at hand. Abject poverty, hunger, disease, infant mortality and bloodshed continue to ravage sub-Sarah Africa; children everywhere suffer from cancer; families everywhere endure the loss of loved ones taken by age, sickness or accident; the lives of so many are turned into shambles by the avarice of a few. “Peace on Earth” seems hard to find.
Raw courage comes from within one’s soul but we must look for spiritual comfort and emotional encouragement wherever they can be found. The following often helps me pull up from wallowing in near-despair. It might do the same for others as well.
I Dream A World
I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom’s way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind-
Of such I dream, my world!
Langston Hughes –
(1902-1967) Noted African American poet, novelist and playwright.
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“Ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.” ~ A Jewish Proverb
Join me in working on the shoulders. In addition to the above, think about our service men and women deployed overseas, in particular our troops in Harm’s Way. And pray for children everywhere.
Appreciate the priceless gift of love and support from family and friends and share thoughts and concerns with trust and understanding. A candle is a small thing but one candle can light another.
What is light? Light is energy, a natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.
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