Somehow, imperceptibly, the controversial year 2023 has reached its final stretch. Across the land, Christmas bells begin to chime and the sparkle in the eyes of those who believe in the Christmas miracle instills confidence that through the darker times of the year, the world is moving towards a new, burgeoning spring.

Unfortunately, at every turn, we witness how life's hardships make people nitpicky, inconsiderate, and often malicious towards one another. It is all the more important to find goodness within ourselves, to see and support our fellow travelers, and to stand for simple truths. It is not easy to live in a country where the government lacks the desire to understand the needs of its citizens and where all the energy is spent on enabling the prime minister to boast in group photos taken far from home. Yet, the Estonian people endure in silence, hoping that the hard times will pass and the celebration will eventually reach our doorstep.

A divided world needs light.

Christmas should be a time to make peace with ourselves and the world, to open our hearts to love with our loved ones. But it is difficult to find Christmas peace in a world scarred by wars, where the value and cost of life have plummeted at the same rate as inflation has destroyed the well-being and belief in a more successful and humane future. The world is divided, cursed by hatred as if in the days of the cold war, and the diplomatic agreements, guarantees, and declarations achieved through decades of effort have become meaningless papers. No one can say where this path of spiritual decline and bloodlust will lead us.

Goodness will prevail!

We must believe in goodness, for the simplicity and clarity of the Christmas message inspire us to defy evil, giving hope and vitality. Christmas is not a holiday celebrated only by religious people; it has become something beyond religions and beliefs. In celebrating Christmas, we do not have to believe in the birth of the Son of God; it is enough that we believe in humanity, love, feel awe for life, and want to be good.

Let the prevailing thought this Christmas be that Estonia is one and only, and the people living here deserve more attention, support, and opportunities to realize themselves, which should not be taken away by even the most aimless government of the times. Let's think about how to carry the light of Christmas into all our days, to have more consideration for one another, kind words and glances, to find time to listen to loved ones and sometimes even strangers, and to seek solutions together for even the most complicated questions. And as trivial as it may sound, let us pray for peace and endurance for Estonia, because without it, nothing makes sense.

Christmas peace into our hearts! Let us know how to cherish our country and its people, who endure despite the hardships!

Vsevolod Jürgenson