Winter is a lovely season and nothing is more pleasing than the landscape after a fresh snow fall when the trees are blanketed in white and the peace of a winter's evening seems to be all around us. But always after that first appreciation of nature's beauty comes the realization that the snow blanketing the trees is also clogging the walkways and roads and is only awaiting   our undertaking the arduous task of removal. With each year that passes that task becomes more of a chore. 

 I do admit we have been more fortunate than many in that this year we have not been bombarded with the weather conditions which seem to be prevalent in the United States but our winter is far from over so our day may be coming yet. Winter can be a very harsh season and one which we have all endured many times in the past.

There is no denying that climate change is taking place around the world as the effects of global warming are beginning to make themselves apparent as we have seen in the past few years. Unless addressed properly  we are facing serious problems in the near future but for now I am going to think Spring. No, I am not avoiding or ignoring the problem. I am choosing  to believe that those people charged with  the responsibility of  addressing the problem will indeed do their job  although to date their performance has left a great deal to be desired. Denial and avoidance cannot be the order of the day and continuing  in that vein will ultimately lead to disaster. Surely good judgement will win out. There must be intelligence and caution somewhere in the make up of those who presume to consider themselves fit to lead although evidences of that have been in very short supply in recent years.

 It is often said we get the government we deserve. God help us if that is true. For we certainly have proven over this past year that we choose our leaders apparently by lot. Most assuredly we cannot have been using good judgement in recent selections  but rather have chosen  to buy into the political scam which has been rampant  in recent years both on the stump and in the media. I cannot, and will not, believe people will continue to be sold this bill of goods  for much longer. Sooner or later the innate good common sense of the electorate will prevail. 

You would not be wrong to consider the statement above to be extremely optimistic and  perhaps even foolish given recent events but I do believe the average citizen to be decent, hard working and sincere. Deluded at times, yes. Misled and indifferent, often. But basically  no different than I am. We all care in the final analysis about the future we are forging for the next generation and reason will win out eventually. I only hope it is soon. We are running out of  precious time.

Recent catastrophes around the world have brought people together out of necessity. One can only hope that unity will continue and  misunderstandings and division will be ameliorated among nations and people around this planet as they come together to face unimaginable tragedy and hardship. Perhaps we can even find compromises to allow the communication and accommodation to  translate into meaningful dialogue leading to peaceful co-existence in this tired old world of ours. An impossible dream ? Perhaps. But one which is well worth our serious consideration. In fact, one which is mandatory if this world is to survive. We have no other choice. And the sooner our leaders face that reality the better. Perhaps recent events have indeed been a message from God that he is displeased with our performance and is demanding change. After all, God is the Father of ALL, not just those who agree with 'us'. Why is it that so many of His followers find that difficult to accept ? It seems pretty simple and clear to me. And I am no scholar or genius. I am only a reasonable citizen of this world who wants to see every child on this planet given the chance to live in peace and harmony, and without fear.

 Until we make a sincere effort to find solutions we are caught in what will be a continual maelstrom of conflict in which so many lives will be lost and so much horror inflicted by all sides and which will have no other outcome but disaster. We face challenges never before faced... global warming is only one of them. All of them man made and perpetuated as those who wish to destroy or to profit at the expense of our planet flourish as the world  is destroyed.

 What will it take for us to say enough ? What is required  to shake us out of our obsession with self interest and indifference ? How do we put the anger and distrust to rest ? When will enough young soldiers have died, or  sufficient numbers of youngsters have  been killed or maimed that we will wake up and demand that reason and sanity prevail ? If winter is to ever end it had better be sooner rather than later.

 Don't the children of the world, both our own and those of all nations, deserve a spring ?

 Someone once said ..."If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." It's way past time we all began to pay attention to what we have allowed to happen because we haven't cared enough to do anything about it.