Tonight is one of the most anticipated evenings through out the year.  People have traveled great distances to be home once again with the circle that they call their family and friends.  Others have to make their own special holiday memories with those that are now part of their new circle of support around them.  My heart always goes out to the many service men and women who find themselves a great distance away from their immediate families.  Those individuals who have sacrificed much, are perhaps spending the night in a foreign country as resolved and brave on a mission to protect and serve their home country that all of us call the United States of America.  It is an always difficult task for a child who is separated from their parent during the holiday as well.  For the many that look upon this day as a sacred day where they remember those family members that are no longer with them, I wish them much hope and happy memories of a time when their beloveds were among them.  To me the very nature of Christmas and the eve in which we find ourselves in, also lets me know that hope is very much alive and I look forward to the new memories, where perhaps a child was not part of the family before and is now celebrating a first holiday among them.  This holiday in particular is so much about family and seeing the joy in the children that have awaited for so long to be surprised and filled with that wonder that only a child can have.  I also know that there are many individuals who are not in the best of health and today is another day that they may have struggled to get through, in order to be able to sleep peacefully at night with their own hope that tomorrow will bring them renewed energy along with better health.  I will remember all of these people and the one's that are missing from our tables at our place of worship, when we celebrate the most exciting night of the year.  It may be another day for some people, however, I am a firm believer that the best is yet to come for many of us.  I can reflect on another year that was filled with many prosperous instances that made me smile and wonder at what a great world  I live in, no matter how much damage was inflicted upon people during certain times of the year.  Tonight I wish all of my friends and family my personal best and that all of the great wishes that come with this special evening come true.  May everyone be filled with the joy, happiness, health and hope as we embrace this magical holiday that is called Christmas around the world.