Good News and Bad News of Christmas

It's pretty quiet here at the Love house this morning. I can hear Bill at the kitchen counter a few feet away turning the pages of the morning papers, filled with their usual good news and bad on this Christmas Eve 2005.

One of the carpenters who worked on our house 20 years ago is pictured on the front page of the Daily Bee. He's on the job at Seasons at Sandpoint donned in a red reindeer outfit. Apparently, he likes to brighten his co-workers' day on Fridays, so he usually wears florescent colors when he comes to work on TGIF. Yesterday, though, he decided to be one of Santa's reindeer, complete with bells on his boots.

I read a disturbing story about more abuse allegations being filed against Spokane's Morning Star Boys Ranch, specifically a Catholic priest who ran the place. Apparently, this was rather late-breaking because the lengthy report appeared in our "Region" section. Looks like we'll be reading more of the ugly details as this story continues to grow.

I felt sad about the 39-year-old lady who was hit in a Post Falls parking lot and killed two nights ago. She had been honored as an educational volunteer. She has four children. And, there's the story about today's big football match-up between the Seahawks and the Indianapolis Colts---touted to be the game of the year but suddenly dampened by suicide of a head coach's son.

It seems that the Christmas season does not allow us a break in the bad news, and, sadly, that bad news only intensifies for all involved because it happens during the Christmas season when we're all supposed to be blissful with dreams of sugar plum fairies and moments of joy.

On the other hand, stories of good do abound during this season. It seems that people make the extra effort to bring some bright moments to others through giving, caring or sharing. Many of those acts receive recognition in our papers, thus offsetting the negative stories we read. In addition, we don't really need to read the papers to know that good happens in our world during this season.

This seems to be the season of reconnection---with faith, family and friends. Yeah, there are the presents. They pale, however, in comparison to the abundant happy greetings via telephone, Christmas cards and letters, emails and even actual face-to-face encounters we enjoy while hurrying through stores, standing in shopping lines, deliver those cookie plates or attend festive Christmas parties. The season, with its religious activities and long-held personal traditions, seems to remind us each year of exactly where we're grounded and what is meaningful in our lives.

When we do take a few precious quiet moments---amidst hectic, exhausting times of expectation and frustration--- listening to the beautiful music, reading the annual reports from family and friends, or beholding the visual beauty created to honor the season, we can find true joy. We know we're connected and that someone up there is responsible for all of this.

And, that's some pretty good news.