We’ve had some back and forth about Christmas in the Arizona Daily Star’s letters to the editor of late. First, a pastor wrote that Christmas is Dec. 25, making the point that that’s when it should be celebrated – not for the long weeks before, but on the day.
Readers responded, writing their own letters to say Christmas is one of many major religious holidays this time of year so embrace wonder of the season, or that any time is a good time to celebrate Jesus.
Who speaks for Jesus, or God, or whoever, isn’t a question that’s going to be answered in the letters to the editor of the Star. The letter writers may disagree, but I don’t think that’s the point right now. In this time of uncertainty and foreboding felt by many in America, the very act of any back-and-forth is important.
I do know that if a god exists, she sounds, depending on the circumstances, like Aretha Franklin and Mahalia Jackson. And the Beatles. And Marvin Gaye. And Lloyd Cole. And Mary Travers. And Bill Evans. And Raul Malo.
And babies laughing. And the voices of loved ones. And hummingbirds. And the thump of a dog’s tailing wagging against the wall because she’s that excited to see you.
So many “ands.”
Maybe the better question isn’t does God exist — that’s such an individual assessment — but does good exist?
And the answer to that question, I know for certain, is yes. It must.
To my mind, this is the more important certainty — the faith in the good, the knowledge that people can be awful to each other and the world around them, but they can also be wonderful. This can carry us through rough times.
It’s been a tough almost-month since the election. Many people are dispirited and feel under threat in their own communities for who they are and what they believe. A sense of foreboding permeates even the day to day. I hear it from people in conversation, in email messages and on social media, and yes, in letters to the editor sent to the Star.
What can we do with the prospect of an incoming administration that is so definitively and publicly against equal protection and civil rights for all Americans, public education and knowledge of the nation and the world? How do we operate in a world where the man who will be president tweets out anything he makes up, and people just believe it?
I’ve heard so many people say, “How could this happen? How could anyone — especially women or minorities — vote for him?” Well, it’s happening. Looking back for insight is important, but only if the wisdom is used to prepare for what comes next.
I’m concerned that people who are demoralized by the election will give in to their dismay and adopt powerlessness. It’s hard. But you’re not alone. Don’t give up your power as an individual to act. This incoming administration will flourish if we don’t pay attention, if people don’t stand up to say no when necessary.
Finding and acting on the good is essential to survival. There’s an idea I’ve come across while reading about educational approaches. The idea is to help your students become engaged and responsible in their own education — and to build on small steps that lead to transformation.
I’m paraphrasing here, but it boils down to this: What are you doing today that will make tomorrow better?
That’s the question that needs an answer.
