When I was a lad my dad was a butcher, and Christmas was a time when he had to stay late at work to clean and truss turkeys.
He worked right up until late on Christmas Eve, and yet Christmas was a time of laughter and excitement as we waited to open our presents.
Two days of rest from working and eating turkey and drinking beer. It seemed as though my mum and dad had waited all year just to give us children a beautiful day.
The whole world was awash with good will and happiness.
This year all I can think of, is the dreadful killing and slaughter going on in Syria. The refugees losing their homes and having to wander far away from their country of birth.
They will receive bombs as presents, and the deaths of their families – What have they to celebrate?
I don’t mean to sound miserable, and I know I keep going on about this but…the violent killing of inncent people and families has just got to stop.
With a wish for a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year, perhaps the hope to still be alive come 2017.
What can we do…at Christmas we can all say a prayer for peace, and hope for reconciliation of all people in, not only the Middle-East, but the world over.
by TOG
