“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.”

I ponder this opening verse from Ecclesiastes 3, King James version, on this day, my 81st birthday. I do believe that there is a purpose and a reason for each of us. I discovered, in my early teens, that God’s gift to me was a talent for communication, and that has been my life’s purpose.

I hope that this column contributes to your knowledge of the issues that affect our daily lives, especially at the local level. The privilege of being a political columnist culminates a long career I pray that you find the column a vital part of our community dialogue. My life has been satisfying and rewarding, beginning with my interest in broadcasting, then politics, and finally in writing.

Augusta has been good to the Roberts family, and we have tried to contribute to a community that we have loved. I shall always treasure the excitement and satisfaction of first being elected myself as a public servant and then helping many others achieve victory in their political campaigns and referendum causes. It started with success in defeating an environmental threat to the city followed by my election. Later I was able to play a role in the election and/or re-election of so many friends who became political leaders. And then there were the referendum victories, our slogan and the plan to “Save Historic Lithgow,” and a new city charter for Augusta.

I hope you forgive my indulgence into all this personal stuff. It is now just one week to another Christmas, and I always get nostalgic at the holidays when many great memories return. Outside politics, I think about the 1978 “Magic Show,” Cony’s New England basketball championship broadcast, and the creation of WABK, (1968) which became Maine’s highest-rated radio station.

But nothing matters more than family, the greatest treasure of them all. Gaby and I have been blessed with two great daughters and an outstanding grandson. Our daughters have devoted their lives to children. Tammy has lovingly served the needs of special ed kids at Cony for 35 years — she is amazing.

I don’t think she reads my columns; she hates politics. You can find her on Saturdays at the soup kitchen. Lynn teaches at a school on the Cape in Massachusetts, where many under-privileged students fill the classrooms. Lynn had 48 teacher-parent conferences last week.

We are proud that both our daughters chose to be teachers, and that our grandson, Dr. John Corsino, the apple of his grandmother’s eye, is on the staff at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts. He, too, has chosen to serve others.

The force behind all of them (and me) is the sweetest woman in the world, my wife of 60 years (next April), Gaby. If there is such a thing as angels on earth, and I believe there are, she is one of them. So, there it is, my personal Christmas card with all my love to family and friends.

In keeping with my promise to my oldest daughter from a year ago, I will refrain from any disagreement and criticism of politicians in this column, since it appears just before Christmas.

Instead, I remind all of you, that most politicians are serving us for the right reasons; they really care and want to help us find solutions to all of the world’s problems. The others can wait until after Christmas to hear further from me.

Now, here is my Christmas card to all my readers:

A new president has been elected. Change brings hope. Embrace it, work with others to help bring America back as the greatest nation on earth, where freedom rings and respect for one another prevails.

I urge you to slow down long enough this Christmas to think about the reason for the season. A saviour has been born, his name is Jesus and he alone holds the hope of the world.

Enjoy your family and seek your purpose as given to you by the Lord.

Ecclesiastes closes: “Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?”

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Don Roberts is a veteran broadcaster, writer and political consultant. He has served Augusta as a city councilor at-large, charter commission vice chairman and utilities district treasurer.

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