#Christmas

It's Christmas Eve. We celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December according to German tradition. But we also celebrate it on the 25th, on Christmas Day. Why not? We combine both traditions.

Christmas is a time for families to get together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Yes--Jesus. Some people seem to forget this. For them it is all about presents and eating turkey or ham. I am not really a religious man; I don't belong to a church group and I don't go to church except for weddings or funerals. However that doesn't mean that I am an Atheist. I believe in the teachings of Jesus.

Was Jesus really God's son? We don't know and will never know, but does it really matter? What matters is what he preached and taught. He preached love, peace, and forgiveness. And that's what we need in this world more than ever. It is strange that all our problems come from the part of the world where Jesus was born. There is so  much hatred there and most of it stems from religion. Not all religions preach peace and tolerance and that is sad.

So let us forget all the turmoil in this world for a few days and celebrate life, celebrate the goodness that must still exist somewhere among humans. We are a vicious species. Perhaps some day we will evolve and finally eliminate the hunger for power, greediness, hatred and intolerance toward those who don't think like us and believe in something different. Perhaps some day humans will learn to be tolerant and live in peace with each other and the animals that share this planet.

I can't wait for that day.

Merry Christmas