I wrote the following for a blog I used to have in 2012. I used to repost it every December because the sentiment was true every year, and it's no less true here at PSF:
Peace on Earth, good will toward men.
I have two beautiful sons who taught me the real meaning of unconditional love, and who have made me love Christmas again. For so many years I ran from the ghosts of Christmas.....the specters of friends and family no longer present who I deeply missed, the trail of wreckage caused by a life lived to excess, loss I couldn't cope with. The joy was gone for me and this time of year just reminded me how empty I was.
Slowly the wounds healed and as I built a family of my own I relearned the most important thing; that there is nothing more important in this world than to love and to be loved. You are never too far gone or too far away from redemption. You have to make yourself vulnerable to reap life's greatest reward, and it's worth it. Every bit of it. For no matter how successful you are, no matter how great your achievements, it's all empty and meaningless without people. People are the only thing in this world with any real importance. The rest is just dust.
I really try to apply that to how I deal with people outside of my immediate circle. All people were children once, and when you look at it that way, it's hard to dislike anyone too much. Every human being is deserving of your good will. Some won't be interested in it, but that's ok. They've just forgotten what's really important in life. They've forgotten that they were once children. Hopefully they'll remember someday.
I wish each and every one of you the merriest of Christmases. I hope you find yourself surrounded with people you love and who love you. I hope that all of your Christmas dreams come true, and I hope the new year brings you prosperity and happiness. Merry Christmas!
