THE EDITOR: As we move from Divali to Christmas and meditate and pray on these two festivals, we understand that both celebrations carry the same message. It is the triumph of light over darkness. For Divali, this is represented by the lighting of deyas. For Christmas, it is confirmed by the birth of Jesus Christ.

Light will always triumph over darkness. It is a universal law. However, we must do our part. As devotees of God, no matter what religion, we must meditate, pray, serve our guru or master associated with our respective religions, love and respect others and live a righteous life as best as we can, serving with truth and kindness.

TT is a nation of many religions living together. Very few countries can boast as we can of having a church, mandir and masjid on the same street with no threat of violence. Friends leave each other to serve God in their respective religious institutions and then meet back to lime and have fun.

Do not let social media and foreign influences change us. We have always lived in harmony and know that it is one God and many paths to God. Let other countries deal with religious prejudice in their own way. We know better. Learn the religion of your neighbour. Partake in their festivities and remove the ignorance from your life.

There is a common theme in our national songs. In Marjorie Padmore’s God Bless Our Nation, we have “God bless our nation,/Of many varied races,/May we possess that common love,/That binds and makes us One.”

In our national anthem, “Here every creed and race finds an equal place.” In Mighty Sniper’s Portrait of Trinidad, “And my people are daily making progress,/Without any form of stupidness,/And in this way we bound to make success,/For when we moving, we all move as one body,/No bickering between you and me,/Our policy stands for racial equality.”

In the Mighty Sparrow’s Our Model Nation, “It is a miracle,/All these difference people can dwell so well,/You see we are educated,/To love and forget hatred.” And in the National Pledge, “I will strive, in everything I do to work together with my fellowmen of every creed and race, for the greater happiness of all and the honour and glory of my country.”

Let us remember these words. Let us recite daily these words in our schools and have them immortalised on wall plaques in our work places and homes. Let us bring TT back to its former glory of “Here every creed and race finds an equal place.”

KIRK BUDHOORAM

San Fernando