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Thursday, March 28, 2024

’Tis the season to remember

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The Thanksgiving turkey is long gone, and many folks have begun focusing in on the 25th day of December, a date when millions of people all over the world observe the birth of Jesus Christ, a radically loving refugee who also happens to be my Lord and Savior. Throughout my childhood, my family would work very hard to make sure we had a beautiful holiday complete with gifts, dinner and, of course, lots of love. As the years went on and things changed in our lives, the day became less about the exchanging of things and more about the bond we had with one another and the promises of a new and exciting year — another opportunity to experience all the blessings life has to offer.

I know what it’s like to have plenty, as well as what it’s like to have little to nothing on Christmas Day. No matter what my circumstances are from year to year, the memories of those times keep me warm. The magic of the season is something I look forward to. 

While many of you will busy yourselves with the hustle and bustle of shopping and decorating, there will be people who won’t be having a beautifully lit tree up in their homes, let alone anything to put under it. Some will see Christmas come and go without a roof over their heads at all.

Beyond the superficial things such as gifts, there are people who will be dealing with the loss of loved ones — grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, children who have passed due to illness or had their lives cut short due to the disease of violent crime that plagues our streets. 

’Tis the season to remember all those who go each day without basic necessities and those whose neighborhoods have become war zones. ’Tis the season to remember all the fallen men and women who have become hashtags at the hand of trigger-happy officers. ’Tis the season to remember those suffering all over the world, especially our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean who are still recovering from the hurricanes and those whose bodies have been sold into bondage in Libya and elsewhere. ’Tis the season to remember the numerous men and women locked inside prison cells all over this nation due to the unjust nature of our our justice system. ’Tis the season to remember the men and women who have been violated at the hands of those who leveraged their power in perverse ways — those who have spoken out and those who will never utter a word. 

In the midst of much turmoil, pain and darkness, light has continued to shine through. 

’Tis the season to count our blessings, as well. 2017 is nearly over, and none of the hurtful things that we’ve experienced, or the bullets we’ve dodged, killed us. We’re here, and that in and of itself is a blessing. A new year is upon us, and though it will come with its fair share of challenges, it will be full of opportunity, as well. 

’Tis the season to remember what life is really all about: loving and respecting ourselves, loving and respecting each other, experiencing all that we can and seizing every opportunity to make the world around us a better place.

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