For Families...

I

wish

-- always,

but mostly at

Christmas -- which

is, after all, the season

of Peace and Love...the season

when somehow, in spite of the over-

whelming distractions of commercialism, if

we can find a small, quiet niche somewhere deep

within ourselves, we will feel (often in spite of

ourselves) a quickening...something small stirring,

growing, waiting to be brought forth... It is during

this season especially that I wish there were some

magical eraser that could take away all memories of hurt,

done both to us and by us, thereby making room for that

small seed to blossom; to burst from its tiny, dark

womb and to fill an entire heart with its beauty. See how

light actually emanates from its blossoms! If it is

allowed to bloom, it cannot be contained in one heart;

rather, it spreads, taking root wherever it makes

contact with another heart. Always -- but especially at

Christmas -- I wish...I pray...that we could find room

in our hearts for that small, fragile seed to grow.

For not to do so is to allow all of the beauty

that is in

us to be

strangled

by weeds.