Peace on Earth and goodwill to all. Easy to say, at this time of year, but much harder to practice on a day to day basis. As I look at my recently decorated living room with the Christmas lights on my tree, the lighted garland over my fireplace and the nativity set with its star of Bethlehem over the mantle. I reflect on the condition of my country and the world, and my place in it.

Should citizens of the world have to live in fear? No, they should not, but they do, all over the world on a daily basis. Should all nations live in peace with each other? Yes, they should and could, but it takes leaders who want peace, even when it means putting their country and its citizens, before their own aspirations.  Do lives matter? Yes, they do, because all lives have value. It does not matter what color is their eyes, hair, or skin. It does not matter their age or sex, their religion or customs. We are all unique and special, and we all have value in this world and in the eyes of our creators. What we do with that value is our choice. We can choose to do good for ourselves and others, or we can choose to ignore others and only look out for ourselves.

These are our choices. We all have these choices in our lives, and the ones we make determine where our lives will go, and how we will affect all those who come in contact with us. Will we be bullies? Teasing other children in school with mean words that hurt their feelings, and using more vicious tactics as we get older, to get what we want from others, with no regard for the results of our actions or their consequences for our world?

Will we be the one who hugs our crying friend to console them after they are hurt? The one who offers a helping hand to others in need, even when it costs us our time, and our resources to make their lives better. Will we be the one to communicate and negotiate with patience and understanding and a open mind to try to make the circumstances of the world a better place for all to live in and exist.

Who will we be? We begin a New Year in 2024. Will we follow the past history of the world? With continuing wars among our nations, over customs, religions, ideologies, resources, lands, and other assets, or will we come together to pool our resources for world prosperity and solidarity, for the good of all the worlds citizens. While respecting our differences as unique nations and cultures, each with its own wonderful and interesting histories, that we should appreciate and learn from.

Do we want to elect officials who put their own personal gains and agendas above those of their duty to the constitutions of their countries, and their citizens? Officials who have no ethical or moral values, and viciously attack others verbally and beyond, if they do not agree with their ideas. Even when those ideas are both destructive and illegal according to constitutional laws. Can the current American in-fighting, Republicans vs Democrats, and the wars abroad, Ukraine vs  Russia, and Israel vs Palestine, be concluded with any benefits to all those citizens involved? Only with trust being developed on all sides of the situations.

You do not have to choose sides to have a meaningful conversation on any subjects large or small. You only need to have a open mind to the problems on both sides that need to be solved with empathy and respect, because a closed mind is like a closed book, we cannot learn anything unless we open it, and respect and trust are earned by demonstrating your honesty and reliability to others. Your word is your bond, is not something to be taken lightly by either side in today’s complicated world issues. Our world is one big over-sized village in today’s digital age, and we need to start working together to save this villages humanity from self- destruction.

So I invite everyone reading this column to join me in saying a prayer and making a wish on Christmas Eve, that all this in-fighting and these wars will stop, because Christmas is a time of celebration of the birth of Jesus, the savior, who gave his life to save humanity, and during his short life he preached and prayed for: peace on Earth and goodwill to all.

Beverly Allard lives in Bernardston.