A Child's Hope

By SAM GREYDANUS, 8th Grade

Across the world's many religions, we have entered a season of benevolent feeling and confidence in the human race. During this brumal time of year, religious hope lights our lives. Hope also illuminates our world in the midst of physical, economic, and environmental strife. Now is the time when we shed our customary pessimism and unite in anticipation for a better world. This is the season to hope for a planet free of starvation, oppression, and injustice. As we celebrate during this holiday season, we glimpse a positive future amidst the current turmoil.

This is also the time of year for service. Use your anticipation for a better world to make the one we already have into a more perfect place. Become a better citizen in your community, your country, and your world. Whether you give a donation to the Salvation Army bell-ringer or begin a crusade against carbon emissions, every contribution from every individual makes a difference. On each level there is much work to be done and on each level there is the capacity to accomplish that work. In each person there lies the ability, and therefore the responsibility, to make the world a better place. Every day, strive to give as well as take and to help as well as be helped. In this time of challenges, welcome your responsibility of stewardship as a privilege.

Finally, these months are a time of tranquility and goodwill. Accomplish your goals without violence and make your points without intimidation. Favor diplomacy over force and peace over war. Remember that those who seek to accomplish their goals through weapons, fear, and tyranny are the enemies of all of humanity while those who solve disputes through compromise and conversation are the cornerstone of a free and just society. This does not mean, however, that we will back away from any injustice standing in the way of progress toward freedom. This time is a season of opportunities. Respect the basic rights of your fellow citizens and join in the effort to improve the world.