Banksy’s Christmas Card
Photo Credit: Public Domain
A land of both trouble and beauty ~
It seems as if the hopes and fears
of all the years
meet in this storied place
Now as then ~
It is a land occupied and segregated
A land of walls and checkpoints
Soldiers and weapons
Injustice and oppression
Fear and hate
Suffering and poverty ~
It is a land of us and them
Somehow Merry Christmas seems hollow and trite
Newborn in a Cave ~ Firing Zone ~ South Hebron Hills
December 23 ~ Photo Credit: Elina
And yet hope refuses to die ~
Light shines in the darkness
Justice takes root
Freedom takes wing
Faithfulness and steadfastness abound ~
And love is born ~ again ~ and again
In the most unlikely places
Do we have eyes to see
what longs to be born in us?
Ears to hear
the song that waits to be sung?
Manger Square ~ Bethlehem
Photo Credit: Dawn
Hearts willing to open
to the pain of the world?
Hands and feet ready to engage
the hard work of transformation?
This is my Christmas wish ~
Our very lives depend on it
And not ours alone
May we come home
to our true selves this Christmas ~
4justpeace 
Thank you for the thoughts and pictures, Dawn. Home to our truest and best selves … Our Big Self, that which connects us with The Universe…truly the most urgent Christmas journey of all.
Salaam/Shalom
Sent from my iPad “It always seem impossible, until it is done”. – Nelson Mandela
Merry Christmas Dawn!! I hope Nancy has a safe journey to be with you! Emilia and I send our best wishes and big Christmas HUGS!!
Thank you, Dawn, for the poem, the deep wishes, and the good work you are doing on our behalf. May you and Nancy be blessed this Christmas. May peace and justice become a priority for our governments and within the hearts of all people.
Jim and Faye
We think of you having Christmas in the land of The Story. May hearts open.
I know Nancy is counting sleeps and services before she arrives! Peace be with you,
the McCrackens
May you continue to send stories of hope, Dawn, and may the newborn in your photo experience a much different life than that of his/her parents.
We know both you and Nancy are looking forward to being together again. We wish you many precious moments!
For unto us comes peace today….thoughts and hopes for Peace!
be well both of you and safe home.
J & D
Thank you. May we be the hands, the heart, the hope from which a different kind of life is birthed.
blessings and love — gloria
May love continue to be born in the most unlikely places, this is my wish. Merry Christmas Dawn!
Dear Dawn,
Namaste…with love and gratitude for how you are sharing your accompaniment with all of us, so that we might know what we need to do, too,
Sherry Ann
peacingstories.com
Wonderful to see your pictures of the newborn and family on the screen Christmas Eve. We know how connected we all are ~ unlimited potential in every child and in us when our hearts are open on this journey. May it be so. So glad that you and Nancy will soon be together…Blessings
Thanks for opening our hearts and minds again and again.
With love and hopefulness.
I am just returning home and reading this beautiful poem and message of heart that you have sent. I celebrate all that so many are doing to bring a deepening consciousness and action from the many here. Over and over I am inspired and filled with gratitude and a belief in the possible. So Nancy is there with you. Hooray … My love to you both, dear friends. Carolyn
I always look for your 4justpeace postings, Dawn. The work your team is doing brings awareness to those of us who cannot be there to see for ourselves what is going on. Thank you for what your work is doing to educate and inform. Blessings on those who work for peace, so that the intention of Christmas can have some credibility. Hugs, Audrey