A Christmas message

Friends and Colleagues,

Here in Virginia, with the Blue Ridge as a backdrop and history alive around us, the snow falls, the skies suddenly clear, and the semester ends.

At year end, we take time to reflect, to celebrate, to remember, and to plan for the future.

Whatever holiday we celebrate, let us remember the origin of the word comes from 'holy day.' Let us remember that every day is sacred, an opportunity that comes to us once to live this particular day in the best way we can.

In this season of renewed hope, in a time of great challenges and opportunities for our nation and our commonwealth, let us remember that we work in a place of hope.

Let us remember the sacred trust we hold here at Germanna Community College. Every day we have been given the opportunity to make a difference in people's lives. Each student we meet presents us with this opportunity.

Each student we meet is the opportunity to fulfill hope: The hope of the individual student. The hope of the family who entrusts us with that student. The hope of our community that this student will be an effective and contributing citizen. Each student we meet gives us the opportunity to help someone find a dream and earn the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to achieve that dream.

Each student presents us with the sacred opportunity to pass on the ethic of service to a cause larger than the self, the ethic of shared leadership, shared responsibility, shared power.

We face great challenges with a strength that comes from this common commitment.
We are blessed to be in this business of hope, and I am proud and grateful to work with all of you at Germanna.

As we spend time with our friends and families, let us remember the lyrics of that wonderful Christmas song,

“Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams”

and recall the many men and women serving our country who will not be home for Christmas except in their dreams, and pray for their safety and that they come home before the next year ends.

I wish you all a blessed time with your families and friends, a safe and happy holiday season, and the bounty of a new year with more opportunities to serve at a place of hope.

David