Sunday, December 15, 2013

Christmas Tidings to all . . .

What a wonderful time of year, for all to take the opportunity to spend time with family and friends.  This may require travel, time away from work and allot of pre-planning, but it is always worth the effort.

Whether in person, by telephone or via Face Time or Skype, that personal contact, the exchange of greetings and well wishes are an opportunity to re-connect and value truly special personal connections.  I certainly hope all get to do this.

As to the season, regardless of your belief system it is amazing to me that every culture at some level celebrates this time of year.  If you study this you will see that winter, has always been a time of re-birth.  A time to rejuvenate and re-new.  Again, if we can all take that time to do so I feel we will benefit greatly.  Good luck to you in this season.

As an aside to renewal  . . .
As we reach this time we look back on the year as a whole.  We determine what we have or have not accomplished and what we might pursue in the coming year.  From a Police perspective I think the end result will show a level or dropping crime rate in most serious offenses.  This is good news for all and I would credit the fine work of our Officers as well as an involved and engaged public.  I've said this numerous times that we, the Police cannot do this without you the Public.  Your interest, involvement and input is always appreciated and of great   value.

If the direction and management of social interactions, which includes behaviors we deem to be criminal were left up only to one segment, we could never be successful.  Much like the " Dutch Boy and the dyke", we'd be very hard pressed to keep the flood back.  With you being the group who reports and provides information you are a key to our success.  By playing your roles we all can be safer and happier.

I sometimes laugh to myself about "society" and what that really means.  If by banding together we are meant to live better, more productive and safer lives I wonder how successful we really are.  If you discount our personal experiences and rely only on news reports I think we sometimes would move back to a cave.  This does not mean I'm an advocate for a recluse mentality, rather I always wonder how we might make this better.  How we can improve the human condition to the point where we can all live happy and productive lives in safety and security.

I find the idioms of the past which seem so easy are so true.  The "Golden Rule";  the quote that "those who fail to study and learn from history are destined to repeat it" all come to mind.  I do not want you to think I am fatalistic or have a negative view of the world nor am I pessimistic of our future.  Rather I'm confident and excited for all of the possibilities the future holds.  This is what enthuses me about the season.  The potential for something better, something more inclusive with more understanding and compassion.  Yes that is what this season means to me. The grand opportunity to do "better."  For everything I did not get done, did not do well or even screwed up, I get to try again.  To be a better husband, father, grandfather and member of my community.  To be a better person.  Now that is a sense of renewal. I don't think it gets better than that.

Youth is wasted on the young and experience and memory on the old.  I hope this is not and never true.  Look, listen and learn, may we all take this to heart.

To wrap up, I hope that this holiday season brings that which not only you desire, but that you need to have a wonderful season and a brilliant 2014.



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