As a child
I waited for Christmas
And all of the toys
And candy
That came with it;
And though there were moments
When I shared my bounty,
I was but a child
Whose first concern
Was for myself.

Now, as an adult,
I wait each year
For the Christ Child
To be reborn
In my heart
And the hearts of all
I encounter
In the course of my day;
I live for the love
And the hope of brotherhood
To pervade the Earth,
Finding it first
Within my heart
And allowing it
To beam forth
Like Caribbean sunlight
Into the winter air
That encapsulates
My living world,
For I believe
That Christmas
Begins within
As an ember
Long banked
By everyday concerns,
Bursting into flame
As the Spirit
Of the Holy One
Renews us
And sends us forth
Into the New Year
With new hope 
For the goodness
Of our fellow man.