Merry Christmas to one and all. I am a fan of great literary works and maintain a listing of great quotes.

One such quote is by Lucretius Carus, a Roman poet and philosopher, who lived from 99 BC until 55 BC, only 44 years.

The quote that is most appropriate for our current state of affairs is: "Violence and injury enclose in their net all that do such things, and generally return upon him who began."

However, we cannot just leave it at that. We have to fix our problems and Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on what we should be doing.

If we focus on the real meaning and work of Christmas, we can make Bermuda a better place. More on this after the Top 20.

Holding at #1 is Run This Town by Jay Z, Rihanna and Kanye West. Back up to #2 is Mary Mary with God in Me. Tumbling to #3 is the dance anthem I Know You Want Me by Pitbull. Falling to #4 is Obsessed by Mariah Carey. Falling to #5 is Successful by Drake featuring L'il Wayne. Improving to #6 is Wasted by Gucci Mane featuring Plies or OJ Da Juiceman.

Moving on up at #7 is Whitney Houston's monster hit anthem Million Dollar Bill, which is still atop international dance charts. Up to # 8 is Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas.

Up to #9 is Under by Pleasure P. Down to #10 is this week is Would've Been the One by Solange, a dance hit and a former essential selection. Improving to #11 is S.O.S. (Let The Music Play), by Jordin Sparks. Up to #12 is a previous essential new tune; Make Me by Janet Jackson.

Up to #13 is Bad Habits by Maxwell. Improving to #14 is Release Me by Agnes. Fighting its way up to #15 is Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys.

Now this week's essential new tune. New at #16 its Baby by Me by 50 Cent featuring Ne-Yo. This song has an awesome beat and catchy lyrics.

However, the song sends terrible messages to young people, especially females. The words say if you have a baby by me you will be a millionaire.

How ghetto is that? Very. It is lyrics like this that have destroyed the black and inner city communities.

It encourages illegitimacy. Why couldn't he say marry me and lets make a family and we can be financially secure, provide for our family?

Dude is a doofus and doesn't realise that he is destroying his own people with such garbage lyrics. What he is saying is that all the women in the world should have babies for him! We are the authors of our own demise.

In at #17 is I Invented Sex by Trey Songs featuring Drake. New at #18 is Money to Blow by Birdman featuring L'il Wayne and Drake. New at #19 is Papers by Usher.

I don't like this one because it talks about divorce; a very bad word in my eyes. Joining the list at #20 is Paparazzi by Lady Gaga. A lot of people don't like her but she is hot, talented and soft on the eyes.

Now back to this week's word – violence and injury begets violence and injury. We have issues in Bermuda. However, I hear on pretty good authority that it should be a quiet Christmas.

I guess the thugs feel that they've made their point and apparently there is honour even among thieves.

But, my dad always said that, "If you sleep with dogs; you will catch fleas".

Basically, you are your company. This is good advice for young people choosing friends.

Choose upstanding, decent, law abiding and God fearing friends, who will not get themselves or you into trouble

But I see this as an opportunity to talk about Christmas and its real meaning. I was invited to be worship leader at my church last Sunday and one of the readings really reminded me of what Christmas is really supposed to be about.

It began with bits and pieces about the birth of Christ but towards the end it says, and this deserves its own paragraph, so profound is it,

"The work of Christmas is to find the lost, heal the broken, feed the hungry, release the captive, rebuild the nations, bring peace among the people and make music in the heart".

Props to Pastor Joseph Whalen Jr. from that great Church in Harris' Bay called Marsden First United Methodist Church, for choosing a passage that is so fitting for the current state in which Bermuda finds itself.

For anyone who is unsure what Christmas should be about; this passage is for you.

For those of us who don't have a solution to the problems facing Bermuda; this passage is it. We must bind families together.

Here is an example. Every year my parents ask me to squeeze the water/juice out of the cassava, so that mom can make her cassava pie.

It's a family ritual and this week Tuesday, at 6.30 a.m., I mustered myself at the homestead and squeezed cassava.

My parents and I had some wonderful fellowship, bonding time, conversation, love was in the air and my mom even made me a cup of tea. Tell me what could be better than that.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and as I drove home to wake up my own family; I thanked God for parents and family such as that, with whom I could enjoy such experiences and create such memories for years to come.

Do yourselves a favour this Christmas and ensure that you spend as much time as possible with family, friends and loved ones.

It's not about what gifts you buy, because over time you forget the gifts and the toys break or are outgrown. But relationships can last lifetimes and the time you invest in them is directly proportionate to the joy you will receive from them.

So, may the peace, happiness and joy of the Christmas season rest upon everyone in Bermuda at this most auspicious and Godly time of year, when we celebrate the birth and life of Jesus, our Saviour, creator, redeemer and friend.

May there be no more crime, murder, gang activity and suffering. May we all turn our hearts to love our neighbours as Christ loves us.

May we all obey the Golden Rule of doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Peace be with you 'til we meet again … DJLT