December
Holidays,
The
holidays are here and they bring excitement, expectations and
unfortunately more stress. We can do much to minimize that stress. We
must strive to make our holidays good, but we don't have make them
perfect. If we try to compete to make our holiday better than our
neighbors, we set ourselves up for added stress.
I
didn't realize that there are many holidays which are celebrated in
December. Of course there is Christmas, December 25th
with it's emphasis on faith, childhood magic and family and the
important focus on “ Peace on earth, good will toward men. ”There
is the holiday Hanukkah on December 22nd , "The festival
of lights" which is about miracles and freedom. There is Kwanzaa
December 26th, a celebration of family, community and
culture. These December holidays by different religions all share in
the joys of family and the best impulses and hopes of all human
beings. Happy Holidays to all!
Public
Impeachment Hearings
The
public hearings of the impeachment of the president have started. We
are hearing testimony from many courageous public servants of high
integrity who value our country and are testifying in spite of the
risk to their careers. On Nov 20th we heard from
Ambassador Sondland, who testified that the president was ultimately
responsible for the illegal policy that was implemented by his
personal lawyer Rudy Guiliani and others that President Zelensy
investigate the Bidens and make a public statement to that effect or
they would not receive the military aid that was passed by the
congress. We are fortunate to be witnesses to how our democracy
works and how no one in our country is above the law, not even a
president. I hope every citizen who cares about our country's future
will be watching and holding accountable anyone, no matter high up in
government or how important they may be, who has broken our laws and
put our security in danger.
Books
and Movies by Somerset Maugham,
The
book I read this month was a little know book by the successful
author Somerset Maugham. --Lisa of Lambeth which I found on free
Kindle classics. It is a simple story of a vivacious young girl who
is born into the poorest class of English society and how that event
ultimately affects her life and her fate. It made me realize that our
birth, over which we have no control, often determines so much of our
lives.
Many of Maugham's best selling books have been made into interesting and successful movies--"The Razor's Edge." ( a book about the search for life's meaning.) "The Moon and Sixpence (the life story of artist Paul Gauguin.) and "Of Human Bondage" (a story that explores the mysteries of human sexual attraction and obsession.) Maugham was a masterful writer who was able to explore the deepest and most complex emotions of the human experience
Many of Maugham's best selling books have been made into interesting and successful movies--"The Razor's Edge." ( a book about the search for life's meaning.) "The Moon and Sixpence (the life story of artist Paul Gauguin.) and "Of Human Bondage" (a story that explores the mysteries of human sexual attraction and obsession.) Maugham was a masterful writer who was able to explore the deepest and most complex emotions of the human experience
On
December31st we will be celebrating New Year's Eve, another important
December holiday-- a time for parties and fun and also a time of
reflecting on the past and planning for the future. I hope it will
be a time of looking forward with hope for all of us.
Free books by June Stepansky
https://www.free-ebooks.net/search/June+Stepansky
https://www.free-ebooks.net/search/June+Stepansky
A Different Voice
Kaleidoscope
