wishing a merry christmas

This is one of my favorite poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I wanted to share it with you all - it's starting to feel like Christmas!

Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

Most of you probably have heard this as the hymn "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" but this is the poem that it's based on in it's entirety. I think that it's really appropriate with the world situation - we need to remember that all is not lost. A little bit of faith in humankind and the spirit of Christmas will get us a long way.

I wish all of you, friends of mine, a wonderful holiday. I wish for you a peaceful and happy time with your family and whomever you choose to celebrate with. Although I didn't get Christmas cards out this year (yet) I am thinking about all of you.

Merry Christmas!