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Tag(s): Christmas; God; Hope Hopefulness; Kindness; Message; People; People; Politics; Truth
Group(s): Progressive Spirituality and Public PolicyAdd to My Group

December 23, 2007 at 23:05:23

Headlined on 12/23/07:
A Message of Hope

by Anthony Wade Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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December 24th, 2007

As we head into Christmas and then the end of another year, it would do us all some good to pause and consider the one thing that remains inescapable in our pursuits. The one thing that is a constant, always passing us by, always with us chasing it. Unfortunately, it is like chasing a vapor in the wind and no matter how we try to manage it, it always seems to manage us. It is the great equalizer that cuts across cultures, eras, and political differences. It is time, and as always it is running out.

The world can beset us with priorities, some very real and some fabricated. We constantly have more and more things attacking our time. We work longer hours, play less and then constantly lament that we simply do not have enough time. It is of course just an illusion. The truth is that we have as much time as we are granted by God but while we are here on this mortal coil, we can choose what to spend our time on. When you find yourself mourning over not having enough time you need to examine the choices you make that lead you to that point. Life is ultimately about choices, not time.

Are the divisions that separate us important? Absolutely. Are the latest disagreements about politics, morals, or policies important? Absolutely. Are these things more important than your family? Are they more important than those that you love? Are they more important than actually enjoying life as opposed to commenting on it? Those are the questions we need to ponder as we close another year. Don’t ever be so busy observing life that you fail to participate in it. The things that seem so important today will be long forgotten as time passes on.

There is so much the separates us in America today. We are right or left. Conservative or liberal. Republican or democrat. We are different creeds, cultures, races and religions. We dress differently, talk differently, live differently, love differently. We celebrate differently, mourn differently, and value differently. We spend so much time and energy worrying about what we think matters, our differences, that we rarely stop to realize how much we have in common. Amidst the differences we all over-focus on, at our core and in our hearts, we are more frighteningly similar than we realize. Spend some time this Christmas season concentrating on what brings us together instead of what drives us apart.

There is nothing worse to most than regret. What will you regret in your future? Will you really regret missing the latest debate on global warming? Will you really regret missing the latest debate on whether Hillary or Rudy makes for a worse candidate? Or will you regret, as you stand over a grave, words unsaid to someone you cared about? Or even worse, words that were said in anger. Political problems will be a constant. Disagreements will always be there. Debate will always be available. But sometimes we only get one chance to make something right. Sometimes we only get a specific amount of time, to right a wrong. Or to tell someone they are loved.

We take things for granted. In a me-centric society we lose sight of what we already have in the blinding pursuit of what we think we do not have. Those who are married wish for some solitude and those who are alone long for a touch from someone who cares. But remember for those who hate their jobs, there are those who are unemployed. For those who cannot afford to go out to eat there are those in line at food pantries. For those who wish to live in a better neighborhood, there are those who have no place to call home. Yes, the old adage of “it can always be worse” is very real and true. Take a moment this season to really think about what you do have, not what you wished you did. The grass is not always greener on the other side.

We are creatures of love America. We have an inherent desire to love and to be loved. Perhaps some more than others. Perhaps some have become calloused from the scars life can leave in its wake. But even the most hardened, battle scarred person deep in their hearts just wants to be loved. Reach out to someone this season. Love someone this season. The powers that be will always tell you why you need to hate people. Somehow we always have time for hate. Make some time this season for love.

This is not meant to be a message of guilt but one of hope. Hope is eternal. I have spent a great portion of my life as a hopeless cynic. It is hard not to when you see the cultural and political landscape collapse around you and you see so many in such pain. When you see what is reported in the media and embrace the evil that can lie in the hearts of men. But remember that the unreported side is the inherent goodness that also can lie in the hearts of men. The random acts of kindness that happen every day but go unreported. They not only matter; they should matter more to us than they do. They cut to the heart of what we can be in this country. They are what are at the center of the hope which we must grasp for as a daily pursuit. This hope recently came back into my life this season and I write in the hope that it can be reborn in yours as well. The year 2007 will soon be over and America will gear up for an important presidential election year. We will have plenty of time to discuss what we disagree about in America. It is all an illusion though. The only real differences are between those who are so jaded that they have lost their hope and those that still hold on to the inherent goodness of man.

The clock keeps running and time moves on. Make a choice this season to embrace hope. Tell the ones you love what they mean to you. Tell the ones you disagree with that they still matter as people (yeah! hug a republican, I said it!). Focus on what you have and be thankful for it. Remember that what you choose to do will determine what you have time for, not the other way around. Politics may divide us but love can still bind us, even if it is just for a season. Merry Christmas to all and a hopeful New Year, filled with promise.

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4 comments

electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

Great Article

Great article and message Anthony.

It's really easy to let cynicism and bitterness sink in, in this world.

Something we all have to fight. "Better to light a candle then to curse the

darkness" someone once said. As Yoda once said: "Fear leads to anger which leads to the dark side which leads to much suffering."

God bless,

Bob

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 937 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 10:54:53 AM

Anthony Wade, a contributing writer to opednews.com, is dedicated to educating the populace to the lies and abuses of the government. He is a 41-year-old independent writer from New York with political commentary articles seen on multiple websites. A Christian progressive and professional Rehabilitation Counselor working with the poor and disabled, Mr. Wade believes that you can have faith and hold elected officials accountable for lies and excess. Anthony Wade?s Archive: http://www.opednews.com...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Anthony WadeAnthony Wade, a contributing writer to opednews.com, is dedicated to educating the populace to the lies and abuses of the government. He is a 41-year-old independent writer from New York with political commentary articles seen on multiple websites. A Christian progressive and professional Rehabilitation Counselor working with the poor and disabled, Mr. Wade believes that you can have faith and hold elected officials accountable for lies and excess. Anthony Wade?s Archive: http://www.opednews.com...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Thanks

Yoda was a deep philosopher. We could learn alot.

Merry Christmas.

by Anthony Wade (153 articles, 2 quicklinks, 44 diaries, 621 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 11:18:26 AM

Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

Beyond the practical level

Beyond the practical day to day level. hope tends to become more and more of an illusion. It is no different from the endless anxiety and catastrophizing that we indulge in today. I try to remember that all hope is at most a hypothisis which is always proven to be an illusion. because life is too big for us. Emily Dickenson wrote a poem about hope that makes sense because it gives hope the ephermeralness and strange permanence it deserves.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1376 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 11:49:20 AM

Eileen is the Reporter and Editor of wearewideawake.orgProducer of "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" and an e-book; "So, That was 54..."She has been to Israel Palestine five times since June 2005 and will return November 2008.
Eileen FlemingEileen is the Reporter and Editor of wearewideawake.orgProducer of "30 Minutes with Vanunu" and "13 Minutes with Vanunu" Author of "Keep Hope Alive" and "Memoirs of a Nice Irish American 'Girl's' Life in Occupied Territory" and an e-book; "So, That was 54..."She has been to Israel Palestine five times since June 2005 and will return November 2008.

Politics Vs Hope

Great job above Anthony.

I hope every USA Christian will join me in my hope and prayer this year and alert your churches to the following:

May God Bless USAll indeed with his holy and righteous anger and fill USAll with compassion for those who are born, live and die under Military Occupation; as Jesus was born, lived and died under Military Occupation too.

What inspired that heartfelt prayer was a Christmas Eve Morning's PRESS RELEASE:

Churches in Holy Land Latest Victims of Israeli Authorities' Travel Prohibitions

Israel makes Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Church of Nativity off limits to Christian Clergy

(Bethlehem, Palestine - 24 Dec 2007) As the world celebrates this holiday season, Israel is blocking clergy from reaching their churches and Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem and elsewhere in the Holy Land. These Israeli actions are in blatant violation of international humanitarian law, block the right for religions to practice in the Holy Land, and defy every notion of basic common sense.

The Israeli authorities are arbitrarily denying entry to clergy and volunteers belonging to or working for Christian institutions and service providers. The clergy being harassed and denied entry to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) join tens of thousands of ordinary foreign passport holders of Palestinian and non-Palestinian origin who wish to be with their families, work or study, as well as tourists and pilgrims. This is especially sad at a time of spiritual reflection and reunion of families, friends and communities when major celebrations of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities coincide over the same period.

In a continuing demonstration of Israel's arbitrary denial of entry policy, and disregard for the Palestinian population’s right to practice their religion and worship freely, Israel sends a clear message to the international community that it has no intention whatsoever to use the recent political movement at the Annapolis Summit in Washington DC as a pretext to bring its actions in line with international law.

Furthermore, it appears that Israel has recently rescinded the year long multiple entry visas commonly given to Arab clergy for churches in both Palestine and in Israel (see Haaretz, “Israel Rescinds Arab Christian clergy travel rights in W. Bank, by the Associated Press, 27/10/07”). Under the new rule, clergy who are now abroad, despite their holding valid Israeli multiple entry visas, are being denied re-entry into Israel and the oPt, where many of their churches are located. Future travel by these clergy will have to be coordinated with multiple Israeli agencies in a process which can take more than a year to complete. The process is not transparent, efficient, or certain. Israel states that the request comes from “security officials” without citing any problems or infringements to justify the change, nor can anyone in the Christian community recall any such problems.

In addition, there appears to be a new policy by Israel to refuse entry or visa extension for foreign, primarily Western, Christian volunteers working with various Christian organizations here. This is affecting the viability of these organizations and the normal connection with their supporters and fellow Christians in the countries that contribute to the presence of these Christian workers. They represent mainstream Christian and faith-based groups, such as the World Council of Churches and the American Friend's Service Committee that advocate non- violence and brotherhood and are in no way a threat to the security of Israel.

A more realistic explanation of Israel’s new policy is that many Christian clergy and workers here have become extremely effective advocates for the Christian communities with the outside world, speaking to Christian and Jewish groups in the US and Europe and to the US Congress on the harm being done to local Christians by the separation wall and Israeli military occupation policies. It is more likely that the intent of the law is to silence these critics.

This has become an addition to Israel’s unannounced policy which accelerated in early 2006 of arbitrary denial of entry to the oPt for foreign passport holding family members of Palestinian ID-holders, educators, business persons, health professionals, humanitarian works and others active in civil society. To date, despite high level interventions by third state missions, international and human rights organizations, Israeli authorities have failed to provide a transparent policy on which foreign nationals wishing to enter or maintain their presence in the occupied Palestinian territory can rely. Instead, Israel has continued to pursue both policies and practices that fail to comply with International Humanitarian Law.

The Campaign calls on third states, religious leaders and congregations worldwide to protest Israel's actions harming the Church community and to demand a clear, transparent and lawful policy for all foreign nationals wishing to enter the Holy Land.

Campaign for the Right of Entry/Re-Entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territory(oPt)
A Grassroots Campaign for the Protection of Foreign Passport Holders Residing in and/or Visiting the oPt
Telephone: +970.(0)59.817.3953 Facsimile: +970.2.295.4903
Website: www.RightToEnter.
ps Email: info@righttoenter.ps