As we all travel near and far to see our loved ones, it’s important that we keep the spirit of the holidays in our minds and hearts. However, there is something I’d like you all to remember as you reflect on the past year and what lies ahead:
Love is a choice, and it can bring peace.
More often than not, this advice is forgotten. Not because it’s simple, or is something that is essential to being human. It’s forgotten because we often misunderstand the power it holds. Love is not just an "extra" in a political statement, and it is not just a feeling you have for someone close to you. Love is a verb that should always be at the center of your life choices. Love is the action of giving a part of yourself to another, no matter how big or small. By choosing to love others, you find that you give to others something that cannot be bought: hope and peace.
So, during your Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday, and on Christmas Day, remember that no matter how crazy life gets or how hard it may be to listen to the stubborn, selfish relative or family friend, or to volunteer your time to help your community, choose to love everyone you encounter. By doing so, you leave open an opportunity to unite and bring peace to those who may have never known that they needed it.




















