Happy holidays! As festive music begins to filter into the background of our lives, the catchy and comforting strains remind me of the peace, joy and fun this season promises.
As I’m sure you already know, many popular English language Christmas songs were written by non-Christians. Likewise, many of the beautiful instrumental and choral works from previous centuries were written by those with both strong religious convictions and those with weaker or no theism. Regardless of the composer’s theological views, creating ways for people to sing together with warmth, joy and love presents the pinnacle of the art.
Isn’t it amazing that music and song can unite people and create connections in deeply profound ways? With this powerful thought in mind, might we seek for unity in the months ahead?
By working together and remembering that most of us truly want to live in a place of peace and beauty, we can have confidence that our community, our state and our country will continue to survive and even thrive. It is easy to be upset by people who are different from us, whether those differences are physical, political or philosophical. We may even imagine that such people want to hurt us. Instead of feeding that fear, let’s challenge it with action: Get out of your comfort zone, initiate a conversation, volunteer.
Visiting the library is a great way to change the routine. Going to the library is also an excellent way to meet someone new or explore a challenging opinion. Libraries are welcoming, safe places where people can connect, learn new skills and seek out compelling topics. Libraries strive to maintain a diverse collection of materials designed to represent a variety of viewpoints and interests. Librarians strive with intention to provide all people with something that delights, inspires or in some way strengthens them. Librarians’ greatest hope is that they can increase each person’s capacity to think, learn and experience what was previously unknown.
I hope you will always feel welcome at the library and that you find the information, resources and camaraderie you seek. Additionally, I hope that you can find peace in the moment and hope for the future when you participate in library activities and peruse library material.
Rebecca Benally is director of Southwest La Plata Library District.
