Billions of Christians around the world will awake tomorrow morning to the same dawn that brings light to everyone's darkness.
For those who believe that the day marks the birth of their Savior, however, there is a special hopefulness in that light. For tomorrow marks the fulfillment of an ancient prophesy and the beginning of a story that is the embodiment of hope, peace, love and compassion.
Christmas has come to mean many things to many people. There are those who keep the birth of a savior foremost in their minds, while others have seemed to cover it up in wrapping paper and giftgiving frenzies.
We won't assign value to anyone's beliefs or traditions. Everyone has a right to spend tomorrow as their culture and their traditions deem fit.
We only ask that you keep a single phrase in mind as you visit with friends and relatives through the day and evening, a phrase that is inextricably tied to that first Christmas more than 2,000 years ago: "Peace on Earth. Good will toward all men."
It's a phrase whose meaning is not limited to Christians. It is the ultimate hope for all mankind, even though we as human beings have never quite been able to make good on the promise.
As this year winds to a close, may we all resolve - no matter what our religious beliefs -that we should begin each day with that goal in our minds and our hearts.
"Peace on Earth. Good will toward all men."