I believe we are all students; we are all teachers, if we only would take the time to listen to one another. We all want to feel peace, love, and hope.  We all need a place to call home, either with a special person or an actual physical place that we warmly return to every night. I also believe that the paths we take lead us to our next choices. Without our ears, we are nothing more than clanging cymbals, making a lot of noise, hoping someone will hear us.

So if you believe in these things, why are so many of us living our lives directly opposing them? The answer is that most of us are “on the clock,” never taking the time to see or hear the beautiful things that are happening around us or in the world. We don’t take the time to listen carefully to the questions our children are asking. We aren’t taking the time to explain our experiences and the wisdom we have gained.  The art of communication has been replaced by the cell phone that hides our true identities and that masks our loneliness from no “one-on-one contact.” We tune out our spouses and our children in the one sacred place that should offer us a resting place, where we may be tired but love can be found in the hugs, the kisses, the “Good mornings,” the “Good nights:” our homes.  When we all need peace, love, and hope, why do so many of us turn inward instead of letting God’s light show forth into the world?

The paths we choose today directly affect our choices tomorrow. So I ask you, did you say kind things to your children and your spouse this morning? Did your actions bring a sense of well-being to everyone? As you go through the day, do you see the little things that God does every day to make our paths brighter? When you cross the threshold of that one sacred place called home, do you feel the peace, love, and hope you need? Does your heart see, hear, and feel that you are truly in a safe and loving place?

I found my path to future peace, love, and hope in my husband, Michael. He was the love of my life. Not a day goes by where I don’t miss his hugs, his love, and the hope he placed in my heart. He’s been gone now ten years; his best buddy, Sammy, passed two years ago in my arms.  Only my best buddy, Mikie, remains at sixteen years of age. In almost fifty years of teaching music, I am still learning from my students, and I hope that they are learning from me, not just music, but about life. One of my friends back east asked me why I’m still teaching. I responded, “I still love kids and I always will.” My life is lonely at times, but I refuse to let my cell phone take over my life. I have a lot to share, and I am willing to share my experiences with all who will listen. I am not a shell but a living, breathing example of what is possible at seventy-one years old.

Maybe it’s the Christmas stories I’ve begun to watch on television, but I know that Emmanuel is coming once again. “God is with us.” My past, present, and future have been guided by Him. All things … peace, love, and hope … are possible with Him, and I am truly blessed.

Anna Hartt