My favorite yuletide greeting is, "Peace and Goodwill To All."
I extend it to you now, even though I probably don't know you.
I don't care what race or gender you are. We're all brothers and sisters. Same species.
More than anything, I want to see a world at peace before I die. I want to know it's going to be okay for my children, and their children.
It's hard to imagine worldwide peace right now.
There's way too much hate in the world. But there's always hope. Each of us must keep the hope of better times in our heart year around. Not just for one holiday.
Reminders of how many good people there are in the world keeps me going. I had one a few days ago. A stranger emailed me after reading an article I wrote in 2013.
This stranger, whose name I prefer to keep secret, asked me for help in sending the remains of a North Vietnamese soldier whose leg bone (with carvings on it) was kept as a war souvenir, back to his family and country.
I hope the information I provided will help him accomplish this humanitarian mission. The souvenir wasn't his. It belonged to a friend.
As a Vietnam combat veteran, I found his email to be especially poignant. I saw some terrible things when I was there.
Things that will always haunt me.
This small act, by one man who believes there's too much hate in the world, gives me hope. I never stop looking for hope in this chaotic world.
I hope you don't either.
Merry Christmas! Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All!
Time for me to walk on down the road...
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