Again, again and again, 'Merry Christmas'

Writing instructors and those experienced article writers in the trade magazines, "The Writer" and "Writers' Digest" say, "Avoid repetitious words and phrases." It's a good rule. How tired we got and still do at the repetitious spoken expressions, "you know," "basically," "awesome" and the like.

A former Cabinet member started all her broadcast answers to questions with, "First of all." A respected war correspondent begins her answers to questions with the ubiquitous, "Well." I overused "of course" and "as if."

Furthermore, I'm going to be repetitious with my "Merry Christmas" message. I've tried to express such wishes in a new way each year, but I can't come up with anything better than what I said during another war. The questioning mind expressed then, about our role, seems right on target in this new war this year.

Stop here if you're tired of reading it.

My friend, I wish you good health and peace of mind. May you look upon life with optimism and good cheer, even in a world that insists on fomenting violence, hatred and war. May you have an indestructible faith to survive today's incredible griefs, separations, confusions. And a questioning mind: What is my stake in Peace on Earth? What is my part in helping to fulfill the Promise?

I wish you to have the fragrances of cedar and oranges, nutmeg and cinnamon and bayberry candles. I would that you have lights of some kind in your house after dark -- the varicolored, winking lights of your Christmas tree, or a candle in the window -- so that others can see that you are there and that all is well with you.

May you have some family around, and especially some children with sparkles in their eyes as you tell them the story of Bethlehem's manger. I wish for you some gifts to give and joy in the giving.

May you stand in starlit silence and hear the angels sing. I hope you'll hear bells, church bells chiming their silver notes, street-corner bells, doorbells. You must also hear carols, old and new, and join in the singing. May you have a fat goose or a turkey and all the goodies, rich memories of Christmases past. And would you mind a little snow? Just a little, falling at tender, blue-shadowed twilight time.

But most of all I wish you some solitude wherein you can let your mind drift back over the centuries to that special night that God became man and lived amongst us for a while. May you go with shepherds or the Wise Men to that little Judean town of Micah's prophecy and in your heart be near to the One who was to say, "My peace I give unto you ... I will not leave my comfortless ... be of good cheer."

REJOICE! REJOICE! REJOICE!

Jean Bell Mosley is an author and longtime resident of Cape Girardeau.