By Bonnie Newman Davis
Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.From Maya Angelou’s “Amazing Peace”
When Urban Views Weekly asked several Richmonders to share their strongest desires for Christmas this year, their responses were swift, sincere and absent of shiny new objects bearing their names.
Instead, our respondents seek a season much like the one so eloquently expressed in the late Maya Angelou’s poem, “Amazing Peace,” written for the 2005 White House Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. In addition to the excerpt above, Angelou’s poem also describes true peace as “A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies. Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.”
Here’s hoping that each of our eight respondents receive everything they wish for, and more, this holiday season. Merry Christmas!
All I Want for Christmas…….
Bonnie Newman Davis
Journalist, Journalism Educator, Media Consultant
Executive Director, BND Institute of Media and Culture Inc.
bndimc.org
804 683-7203
