When my hubby and I visited San Francisco a few weeks ago we spent an entire day in Haight-Ashbury, home of the hippie movement of the 1960’s.

We had a blast. Haight-Ashbury is an eclectic neighborhood defined by self expression rather than social expectation. Everywhere you look there is creativity, connection, and a lifestyle of easy, natural peace.

There was a unique spirit woven into every inch of the place… even the concrete!

What I loved about Haight-Ashbury was the sense of overall rightness; of camaraderie.  Social, political and economic differences didn’t seem to matter to anybody…in fact, difference was embraced.

Somewhere in the middle of all the Christmas stuff is the message that social, political and economic differences don’t matter in the light of God’s love. If we allow the Christmas story into our lives, we must recognize in it the inherent invitation to be a people oriented toward peace and justice.

That’s not the kind of peace that’s put away when the lights come down and the stuff’s packed up, but concrete, real and lasting peace woven into every inch of the place…wherever your place may be.