So this is Christmas and what have you done? Another year over and a new one just begun.
The opening lyrics to John Lennon’s famous song Happy Xmas (War Is Over) reminds us that Christmas and the last week before the new year is a time of reflection as much as anything else.
What have we done? What do we hope to achieve?
And, more importantly, what can we do to help others less fortunate, the sick or people who are alone to enjoy a festive time rather than dwell on any negatives in their lives?
We’re very fortunate in the collection of communities that dot Vancouver Island to have so many people who think of others first and not themselves during the Christmas season.
People like Esther Craig, just to name one.
If you don’t live in the Chemainus area, you may not have had the pleasure of knowing Esther, or witnessed her getting up early on Christmas to go to the local Legion to cook turkeys for the traditional Fyffe charity dinner at the Chemainus Legion Hall.
She could just as easily stay home and worry about herself, but that’s not in her nature.
You may not know Esther, but you know people like her — people in Brentwood Bay and Ucluelet and Cumberland and Port McNeill and every community in between who deserve special kudos for their thoughtfulness.
Caring and sharing and making the yuletide just a little brighter for others is what makes our Island so special.
Christmas is meant to be spent with family or extended family, or community, however you define it, coming together in good fellowship.
We also need to strive for more unity and harmony throughout the year rather than just one day.
When we all get along and make an effort to work together, the community is obviously much stronger because of it, no matter what your background.