"Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” – President Calvin Coolidge.
For many of us, Christmas is a time to celebrate with family and friends. It’s a time for children to think about what Santa will be placing for them under the tree, or listening to a church choir perform a traditional holiday musical. But the words of former President Coolidge can serve to remind us that while we prepare to celebrate Christmas, its spirit is something we should celebrate everyday of the year.
Numerous people around the world, including some here in Kentucky have and continue to face some difficult times. Unemployment remains high, and layoffs in industries like coal continue to impact our economy, leaving some of our neighbors wondering how they’ll put food on the table and presents under the tree. In addition we face the unknown of a fiscal cliff in both Washington and Frankfort, given the need for comprehensive pension and tax reform in the Commonwealth.
Often times it’s those unknowns that give us more fear that faith during the Christmas season. But if we remember that despite our current struggles that America remains a beacon of hope to the rest of the world, and that spirit of giving that sometimes gets lost due in the glut of stories about the latest hot electronics and toys to shop for on Black Friday is lifted up we can overcome the trying issues that face our country and our commonwealth. It’s that spirit that caused us to rise up and declare our independence. That same spirit that helped us overcome a nation divided, and saw us through the senseless attacks on December 7, 1941, and September 11, 2001.
The spirit of Christmas lives in all of us, and it’s essential we live in that state of mind that bring that sense of peace and goodwill to all every day of the year. As we in the General Assembly gather for the upcoming legislative session, it is my hope the spirit of goodwill to all Kentuckians will allow us to work together and deal with the issues important to you the people we serve. As Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the ‘Peanuts’ comic strip once said,"Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.”
We should all gratefully remember the Reason for the Season - Jesus Christ our Lord
From our family to yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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