Monthly Archives: December 2025
Lasting Presents
The news is grim.
Conflict rises, peace fades.
Accords are broken.
Trump and Putin can’t be trusted—they seek to deceive.
Trump floods the zone with a myriad of issues, fearful that his past actions will come back to haunt him.
He hopes that one or more of them will affect you, and you will forget his sordid past.
Trump won’t forgive those he blames for his impeachment and convictions.
“Trump’s calls for retribution started the month he was indicted—first mentioned while he was rallying his most fervent supporters at CPAC in March.
Trump is your voice, warrior, justice, and retribution.
‘In 2016, I declared, “I am your voice.” ‘ Today I add, ‘I am your warrior. I am your justice, and for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,’ Trump said at the political conference. 1
Trump said in his interview with Dr. Phil McGraw (better known as Dr. Phil), “You know the word ‘revenge’ is a very strong word, but maybe we have revenge for success. But that’s what I’d like to see. I want to see the country survive, because this country is not going to survive like this.” 2
Maybe we have revenge for success? That kind of muddled thinking is just a mess.
The only vengeance he has sought is his own.
Trump uses others, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, to get even.
Presidents should unify, not divide.
They must never promote hatred, overt or implied.
The preamble to the U.S. Constitution is clear:
“We the people” means the people have a say, not that the President always gets his way.
The Founding Fathers didn’t foresee a president who tweets through the night.
If they had, they might have added this amendment:
The President is not allowed to tweet, “I do it my way.”
If that happens, his social media accounts should be suspended until he learns to act like a leader.
They expected more maturity from their Commander-in-Chief.
Haters are loud and persistent.
They say you must put yourself first.
But I ask, “What happened to treating others like family?”
None of us is better than anyone else.
We all get it wrong.
Love isn’t always easy.
We harbor grudges, dig in our heels, and claim,
“You started it!”
“No, you did!”
Neither will budge.
Resistance rises, love shrinks.
When we refuse to listen to that inner voice saying, “You’re both wrong,”
Division may never end.
Is it worth turning against you?
Is it worth a long friendship lost because neither will bend?
Is being right worth that?
Being right offers no lasting comfort.
It’s a blanket of ice that freezes you in the night.
Is it worth the cost?
You wake with no peace, and the chill of a broken friendship lingers.
We tell ourselves we’re without fault, but it doesn’t work.
We all can be stubborn—mules have nothing on us.
I share a story from my life to illustrate this point.
I faced a challenge in my friendship with a man who saw things not in shades of gray but in black and white. What he never knew was that I longed to live that simply. His view of life was uncomplicated. He didn’t have to weigh right or wrong. It was either one or the other, never both at the same time.
He often masked cruelty as truth. When he called me lazy, a word that triggered past misjudgments, his opinion stung more than I admitted. The sting of it lingered.
I resented him for a long time, yet I knew forgiveness was crucial to preserve our friendship—a friendship that also revealed his gentleness and compassion. During the SARS outbreak in Toronto, he visited me in the hospital after I had my infected tonsils removed. The ENT specialist said that without the procedure, the infection could have become life-threatening. I had a high fever when I was operated on. Nursing staff commented that this is rarely done because it can be dangerous if it allows infection to spread. I understood how blessed I was that there were no complications. When you are seriously ill, do you notice how you see the truth of the issues you focus on that are really minor? When I awoke from anesthesia, my friend was there sitting in a chair beside my bed. Weakly, I expressed my gratitude, and he smiled, offering his presence in the silence.
My friend risked his life to visit me. I accepted why my family and friends didn’t come to see me. I would have felt awful if they had gotten sick themselves or, even worse, died. My friend thought nothing of how heroic and loving he had been. He would have been puzzled by my pointing out his courage. He would say, “Kevin, that’s what good friends do.”
He passed away a few years ago. I’m grateful that God used that moment of friction to remind me about the importance of forgiveness.
Criticism from friends or anyone we look up to, whether family members or colleagues, can wound us deeply, making us feel betrayed. It’s okay to acknowledge that pain. I pray that you, too, can release that hurt, entrusting it to God, as I’m grateful our Father did for me.
Sometimes we must bend and admit where we’re wrong.
Don’t wait for the other person to do it.
It may take time, but wounds can heal.
Relationships take work.
They suffer when we’re inflexible.
Forgiveness is the key to love’s survival.
When we go to sleep, let the peace we’ve made wrap us in comfort.
We’ll wake with renewed strength to care for those God brings our way.
Don’t listen to those who say revenge is sweet.
It’s a bitter gift, like salt in your coffee—
A rough start to your day.
Love one another as God loves you.
It’s the healthier choice.
Sadly, not all friendships last, especially when they turn toxic.
One gives, the other takes.
One forgives, the other doesn’t.
Lashing out, holding grudges—
The one who feels wronged recalls old wounds and can’t let go.
Unforgiveness can mark the end.
It’s painful when it happens.
But not all relationships are meant to endure.
Some are for a season, and that’s a hard lesson to learn.
If you’ve learned it, I pray you forgive yourself.
You have love to share, even after the tears.
Losing a friend doesn’t have to be the end.
Wish them well.
Let go of the rage—release it from its cage.
Keep the spirit of Christmas alive.
The presents of love and forgiveness outlasts hate.
Love’s message is a gift that never needs to be returned.
It’s always a perfect fit.
Sources:
Dr. Kevin Osborne is a chaplain, therapist, writer, poet, and singer. He helps people in their inner healing journey. Dr. Osborne and Karen Osborne live in Timmins, northern Ontario, Canada. Karen has a B.A. in Clinical Christian Counseling from St. James the Elder University. She is a counselor, writer, and editor. Kevin and Karen enjoy reading passages from books to one another over coffee and a sweet treat and discussing what they are reading.
Mind's Seat 