Friday, December 25, 1998

Peace on Earth

Thirty years ago, on Christmas Eve 1968, the entire world listened as three men read from the book of Genesis. Though the words were familiar to many, they held special meaning that night. The men reading the words had just, for the first time in history, traveled far enough away from the Earth to see the entire planet at once. As Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders looked back at the Earth from their spacecraft orbiting the Moon, they saw a magnificent blue and white sphere floating in the vast darkness of space.

For a brief moment, people throughout world came together in a spirit of peace, a sense of wonder, and a celebration of achievement. Never before had we beheld such a distant and unifying perspective of our beautiful home.

Today, we are more interconnected and interdependent than ever. We travel together through time and space, yet we focus too often on the things which divide us. In so doing we bring about unnecessary suffering and despair. From 200,000 miles away, imagine how pointless most of our squabbles would appear.

Though we are each unique and special, our common interests far outweigh our differences. On this day of giving, the best gifts we can give and receive still are peace and good will.

— Ralph Marston

Trust and truth Reality of commitment next

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