Holiday reflections

 I'm happy for these kids

The other day, at the lunch hour, my friend, James Minor, and I walked from our office building across the company campus to the commons building for a bowl of soup and a slice of pizza.  A group of kids from a local middle school were singing Christmas caroles and dancing for the entertainment of my coworkers.

It was a heart-warming, poignant display, which I enjoyed very much.  The kids were enthusiastic, seemed pleased with themselves, and appeared to enjoy the approving attention directed at them from the spectators. 

And, angst-ridden liberal that I am, I came away from it saddened.  Those singing, dancing, smiling kids will likely never know hunger nor find themselves and their families trapped in a war zone, fearing for their lives.  At least, I pray that they will not.

Well, dear reader, you undoubtedly know where I'm going with this...

Can we do something?

Since I became an adult, I've always found that children's books invoke this same sadness in me.  So often, children's books are written to reassure, to calm fears.  But, while I don't advocate that we frighten children, we all know the truth:  the world is full of perils and horrors.  No matter how much we might desire it, we cannot shield children from that truth.

If only it were not so.

I plan to enjoy the holidays.  But I hope never to forget how flat-out lucky I am to have been born into such a blesséd existence.

That's my prayer for this year:  Lord, help me to remember; help me to find a way to ease the suffering of the less fortunate.

I'm just a bleeding-heart liberal, after all.

Good ol' James

Update:  Coworker James and I will make a trip to the Costco today to buy food for the seven needy families that my company is sponsoring this holiday season.  It's a start!