MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

. . . . . . there is no edge to openness

TODAY'S MUSINGS

FEEDBACK / COMMENTS

MARK SPEAKS

MARK'S SPEAKING TIPS

ARCHIVED COLUMNS

ARCHIVE WINTER 2020-21

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2020

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2020

ARCHIVE SPRING 2020

ARCHIVE WINTER 2019-20

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2019

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2019

ARCHIVE SPRING 2019

ARCHIVE WINTER 2018-19

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2018

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2018

ARCHIVE SPRING 2018

ARCHIVE WINTER 2017-18

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2017

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2017

ARCHIVE SPRING 2017

ARCHIVE WINTER 2016/17

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2016

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2016

ARCHIVE SPRING 2016

ARCHIVE WINTER 2015/16

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2015

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2015

ARCHIVE SPRING 2015

ARCHIVE WINTER 2014/15

ARCHIVE AUTUMN 2014

ARCHIVE SUMMER 2014

ARCHIVE SPRING 2014

ARCHIVE WINTER 2013/14

CONTACT

MY REAL ESTATE LIFE

WHY I WRITE MUSINGS

SHORT STORY PROJECT

POETRY PROJECT

SELECTED OTHER WORK

PEACE TIME

Friday Dec. 25, 2015

 

Peace, not war, please.

When we gather with friends and family, we laugh, play, eat, laugh some more, play some more, eat some more – no war here. No refugees. No hate. No politics. No poverty. No pain, no illness, no suffering. Just peace. And goodwill.

Yeah.

Sure.

So simple.

Intelligent people, knowledge, ability to communicate.

Still, peace eludes mankind.

Is it not our nature to be peaceful peace loving peaceniks?

For 2015 years, progress of peace, progress of goodwill, was advanced more by warring measures than peaceful ones. The very idea of peace-time has changed so much in my lifetime I’m not sure what it means anymore. Because this world is not at peace – just pretending to not be at-war. Knowledge and communication capabilities suggest and imply we are more capable as residents of this planet to talk with each other and make peace with each other than ever. Yet, another season of peace and goodwill meets too many headlines evidencing the opposite …

Silent streets. Here, there, but not everywhere. World leaders, the Queen, the Pope, and many more – offer words of hope, pleas for peace.

Religions aside – I’m sure everyone agrees this Christmas holiday is a celebration of children, by children and for children. After dinner last night watching my grandchildren play with their gifts, watching their mother playing with them – well, that’s the happiest I’ve seen her that I remember, which is her entire life. I’ve seen her high points, occasions and Christmases. So far this is the best of them all. Maybe they all are.

Maybe it is every Christmas with children.

Or any day with any child. 

 

Mark Kolke

P.S.: only  two or three vehicles at each hotel I see. I am staying here – in a cluster of five near-identical establishments here, in the north-east part, in Fort Saskatchewan. Plenty of room here, a dog friendly hotel, so Gusta is happily along for the trip and enjoying our room …

written / published from Fort Saskatchewan, AB

morning walk:  -15C/5F, calm and cold – traffic virtually absent except trails of vehicles to-from refineries at shift-change time, otherwise everyone is sleeping except for children liberating their stockings, spilling those stuffers before breakfast …

Reader feedback:

PA RUM PA PUM PUM

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!, AN, Calgary, AB

Good Morning Mark and Merry Christmas to you as well. I hope you have a nice time with your family and maybe even the estranged daughter will reach out. The words “Hi Grandpa” I would bet will be the best Christmas Carol you hear this special season. Although Calgary and Alberta has been through a very tough year, I get a sense of our resilience and I have a sense of optimism for a better 2016. I hope an economic turn comes sooner rather than later, but I get a feeling people are talking more now about “How can we…” rather than “Why did this happen…”. Keep up your writing – it is appreciated by many.  All the best for a great 2016! MK, Calgary, AB

Lovely article.  Merry Christmas to you and yours, JM, New York, NY

Merry Christmas. All the best to you and your family this Christmas Mark.  Safe travels, WB and family, Bowden, AB

Season’s Greetings - Hope your trip to Edmonton was a safe one. From the Florida Keys Irene and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Healthy Happy New Year.  I’ll look forward to getting together in 2016 Mark. Sincerely, JJ, Calgary, AB … from south Florida

Merry Christmas Mark. Wishing you a joyful time with your family and many wonderful adventures, surprises, successes and joys through 2016, AM, Calgary, AB

My wish for you this holiday season .. health, happiness, love, joy, prosperity, friendship and an endless supply of grandpa adoration.  Enjoy!  Have yourself a VERY Merry Christmas, Mark, BR, Calgary, AB


Sign up to get MUSINGS by Email
» click HERE to be added to our list!
For Email Marketing you can trust

sign up to get Musings free daily


Comments are always welcome - please contribute to the discussion.  Reply to: kolke@markkolke.com

You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. This site is updated daily, each column is retained in the archive when the next day's column is loaded ...  


Copyright - all rights reserved - Mark Kolke, © 2003-2021