December 19, 2014
6:16 p.m.

It surely has been a busy week! I've been all over town with these grandchildren. (Not really, just to their schools.) Dance recital, band concert, school musical, Christmas parties. Busy, busy.

I'm having a good time. I just wish I wasn't all slow-pokey with my dumb foot.

Just a few days left to finish Christmas shopping. This year won't be the same as last year. I was so on top of things last year, but this year "Dumb Foot" has interfered with my mobility to the point that I've gotten so little done. It's frustrating.

I wish the rest of my family could be here. I miss those Colorado kids and grandkids. One of these days we may manage to be all in the same place at the same time.

In the meantime, I have been thinking about a lot of things to do with peace and happiness. You must be at peace to be happy--that's a given. I understand that it's difficult to be at peace in a world where unrest is the natural state.

For me, peace is an internal state, that place I go to where life's nit-picky stuff isn't allowed to get in and get me down. I can't always get into that place, unfortunately. I don't know anyone who can constantly live in that state, but I do know a couple who do a pretty good job of living there most of the time. Those people are the ones I most admire, because even though life throws them some pretty nasty curve-balls, they always have a smile for everyone and a friendly word to pass along. While that in itself is admirable, they are also the ones who admit their frailties, admit that they are suffering, but choose to go on and count their blessings as they limp along their way. They choose life, and they choose peace and happiness even as their tears are flowing.

I try to do this myself, and sometimes I even succeed. (No one laughs at me or my foolishness as much as I do.) But I often fall short, and so I must try, try again.

Here is what I strive for, and what I hope to teach through my example:
1. Realized that any person, regardless of race, colour, religion or sexual orientation will bleed red blood if cut, requires the same vital organs to live, must eat, drink, sleep and eliminate waste to stay healthy, and needs to love and be loved to be fulfilled.
2. No one has the right to judge another person simply because their beliefs differ from yours.
3. No one has the right to judge another person because their skin, hair and eye colour differs from yours.
4. Hate is a learned emotion. Parents teach it to their children. Friends teach it to friends. Teachers teach it to students. No one is born hating.
5. Babes and small children are open to loving everyone. They discriminate against no one. No wonder Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me." They are the most worthy among us. Lets be more like them!

'Tis the Season, everyone. I want to look at the world with the wonder and openness of a small child. I want to have my cry when needed and then get over it and move on, the way a toddler does. We can learn a lot from the little ones.

Until we meet again--goodnight!