The votes were minimal, only 226, but the 26 comments spoke of family, of sharing and broad social values, of compassion and respect.
The poll, coming at the end of Christmas and just before New Year, fell into a nether world between pre-holiday political tussles, ongoing economic woes, the start of a hard-driving 2014 and general worries for the future.
The question was wide open: “Christmas is upon us. If able, what gift would you offer?” Five responses were suggested; the fifth, “other,” as usual, providing cover for a grab bag of opinion.
Finishing in first place with 76 votes, 33.6 percent of the total, was “universal peace,” and while sounding a little naïve, something about the coincidence of timing and holiday sentiment resonated with readers.
“If there were indeed a true peace in the world, everything else would follow,” offered one respondent, and while perhaps a statement of the obvious, it is nonetheless worth pondering.
“All military expenditures would be focused instead on the supply of health care, food and shelter for all of humanity. That we would reach for the stars,” said another reader.
“If everybody cared for their neighbor, there would be no war, no hatred, no racism, only positive emotions. What could be better than that?” a respondent asked.
“All I am saying,” the final comment came, “is give peace a chance.”
Finishing in second place, with 63 votes, or 27.9 percent of the total, was the “family values” option.
One comment urged “parents to pay more attention to their children and teach them real, good life values. The school teachers or the church will not be able to replace what must and should come from parents.”
“Sharing, caring, respect and kindness, rather than an emphasis on material things,” offered another reader, explaining one view of family values, which a third commentator boiled down to two words: “personal responsibility.”
In third place, drawing 55 votes and 24.3 percent of the total, was “cheap groceries.” The option appeared to touch a nerve, making the point that hungry families, often poor, are rarely happy.
Tied for the fourth slot “a slower pace of life” and “other” each drew 16 votes, 7.1 percent of the total.
A slower pace, one respondent said, would mean “everyone can take time to enjoy family, friends and the beauty of the world,” a sentiment echoed by a second commentator, saying it meant “more time to spend with loved ones.”
Finally “other” drew the most comments, 14, some offering an insight into what troubles us the most.
“Health to all,” one said. “A dump-free capital,” observed another, reminding us of the Dec. 20 fire that demonstrated just how bad “Mount Trashmore” is.
“A good pot of Cayman-style beef to every family in the world,” a third commentator wished for all of us, pointing to the poor and hungry, while a fourth underlined that the “standard of living is too high for senior citizens.”
More generally, one reader wanted to “give the capacity for understanding and compassion and wisdom; with these characteristics much of everything else, such as peace, values, the things that matter, fall into place.”
Addressing harder issues, one reader offered to “gift the ability for politicians to see beyond their ‘own town’ and agree to move the contents of Mount Trashmore to a new waste-processing facility located at inner East End. We’re a small enough country to move fast with this. Let’s get something done about this madness before Mount Trashmore is classed as the first Wonder of The Cayman Islands.”
Another reader asked for a “reduction in salary for politicians,” while another said the solution to most problems was relatively simple: “Respect for others – and with this the rest follows.”
Six comments focused on the Christian faith, seeking to remind us that Christmas marks Jesus’s birth.
“The Christian faith brings the first two [universal peace and family values] and is, after all, the reason for the season,” one reader said.
Christmas offers “the truth of who we are and why we are here,” said another, as a third cited the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
Next week’s poll question:
Do we need email manners? What annoys you most?
- CAPITAL LETTERS and EXCLAMATION POINTS!!
- Use of your first name by a stranger
- Extended subject lines and no message
- Spelling and grammar mistakes
- No problems. The world is a better place when people try to communicate.
- To participate, visit www.cayCompass.com.
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