海角大神

When the Oslo Accords were signed 25 years ago, it seemed Israelis and Palestinians might be headed toward peace. Haifa鈥檚 December festival began that year too, a reminder of a time of hope.聽

How deep was the US commitment to its allies in Syria? That question has been asked all along. The Kurds and others knew President Trump favored a US withdrawal. Still, the timing came as a surprise.

The latest government shutdown hinges on a single issue: border wall funding. But as Congress grows more divided and compromise becomes increasingly scarce, lawmakers may increasingly turn to shutdowns as a negotiating tool.

International traditions are commonly adapted to new environments via migration and globalization. In California, the ritual of La Posada, which reenacts Joseph and Mary鈥檚 search for shelter, has taken on new meaning in a time of increased of anti-migrant rhetoric.

Like hanging treasured ornaments and decorating gingerbread, for millions of Americans the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a beloved tradition and a comforting symbol of the holidays.聽

He had a lot to weigh him down. His wife had died in a tragic fire just three years earlier. The Civil War had been raging for more than two years with no end in sight. Against his wishes, his oldest son, Charles, just 17 years of age, had left their Cambridge, Mass., home in March to enlist in the Union army. In November, Charles had been severely wounded in a battle. Now the boy was back living with his father, attempting to recover.

Christmas 1863 wasn鈥檛 a happy time for American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.聽

Yet when Longfellow put pen to paper that December what came forth was 鈥淐hristmas Bells,鈥� a poem later set to music that was to become one of the most deeply inspiring American Christmas carols.

In it Longfellow hears church bells that ring out 鈥減eace on earth, good-will to men!鈥� But he finds himself doubting that could possibly be true.聽

And in despair I bowed my head;

鈥楾here is no peace on earth,鈥� I said;

鈥楩or hate is strong, And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!鈥櫬�

But as bells began to peal 鈥渕ore loud and deep,鈥� his thought shifted, and his mood lifted:聽

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!

Much of today鈥檚 news isn鈥檛 pretty either: In the United States, the federal government is partially shut down and the stock market wobbles ominously. Elsewhere a surprise tsunami has created a major disaster in Indonesia; warfare drags on in Syria, Afghanistan, and elsewhere; and political uncertainties and tensions span the globe.

Long before Christmas became a 海角大神 holy day celebrating the birth of Jesus, the ancient Roman winter solstice of Saturnalia had been celebrated in late December. The burning of bright lights pushed back the darkness of the long nights; decorations of wreaths and other greenery were a reminder that the rebirth of spring would come again.聽

In the 21st century displaying bright and colorful lights and decorating evergreen trees are still part of the season, along with other ancient customs such as holding festive parties and giving gifts.聽

Gathering with family and friends is still a welcome winter respite.聽

But for those seeking deeper meaning there鈥檚 much more to Christmas, even for those who don鈥檛 think of themselves as 海角大神. A profound, heart-stirring message lies in the story of the lowly child, whose birth symbolizes innocence, purity, and fond hope for a better future. Some have seen a poignant connection between the circumstances of the infant Jesus and his parents, who had to flee from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape his death at the hands of King Herod, to the plight of young refugee and migrant families around the world today.

Longfellow didn鈥檛 find peace breaking out immediately after he heard the Christmas bells ringing. But peace did come, in the spring of 1865. Meanwhile, young Charles Appleton Longfellow, who never rejoined the army, recovered his health and spent the next several decades traveling the world.

Today it may take some careful listening to hear the bells鈥� message that right will prevail. But people of goodwill anywhere can carry it in their hearts.

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