There is only one word that springs to my mind this Christmas; it is HOPE.
The last 12 months have been so difficult for us individually, collectively and for the whole global family. The end of the pandemic, re-adjustment to life after Covid, invasion of Ukraine, problems “at home”; endless political saga, high inflation and a huge cost of living crisis. The list of real issues and reasons to lose HOPE is endless.
Christmas is usually a good opportunity to stop, rest and recharge our batteries. Religious or not, we all look forward to Christmas to reconnect with our friends, relatives and family members. These social moments of interaction are so important for our wellbeing and sense of belonging to our community, society or respective traditions.
I personally HOPE that this Christmas, we will all try to remain faithful in the goodness of humanity. I HOPE that we will be able to be grateful for who we are, recognise that we are all unique and that we are a GIFT for one another.
Maybe this Christmas, we can strive not only to find a few nice presents under the Christmas tree but more importantly, try to find joy and happiness in little things, be the first ones to say thank you and sorry. Would going back to “basics” help to fix and/ or repair some of the broken relationships and be more forgiving?
In my view the story of Christmas, which today might seem a bit distant and irrelevant to many of us, is essentially a story of HOPE.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas, with a deep sense of gratitude for “difficult today” and HOPE for a better tomorrow. We can’t allow ourselves to lose HOPE, even in our darkest moments. It is HOPE, which often unites us and creates a real purpose in our lives.
* Michal Siewniak is a Lib Dem activist and councillor for Handside ward, Welwyn Hatfield.
2 Comments
The story of Christmas relates very closely to what people experience today. Think of a young couple, with the girl pregnant, being unable to find somewhere to live other than a stable. Think of that couple then having to flee and seek refuge elsewhere to prevent their baby being killed. Yet, from this beginning, something so significant that human history has been and continues to be shaped.
Hope is made alive in every birth. In it is the potential for genius, of making a real difference to the world. It is for these that we should be campaigning so that they can inherit and be able to make a better world. The Liberal Democrats should put the well-being of those too young to vote first in a long list of priorities.