The time of year that many of us cherish has arrived.

The time when we think about the people we love, the world we live in and how we can brighten both, even if just a little. 

It is my favorite period on the calendar as well — not because of the things I anticipate getting or the parties I’ll attend or the time off to rest and recharge.  

For me it is the pleasure of seeing people at their best for about 30 or 40 days or so. 

They smile a lot. Their patience is at an all time high and their inner soul — that part of where the poetry, music, and art can be found — is worn on the outside and buried on the inside.

But this year will be different for me.

I will smile less, reflect less and certainly spend less. 

My normal holiday cheer is gagged by the trail of a year that has been ominous at best.  

I have seen people with college degrees and experience put out of work, more than ever before.

I still have no justice for the events of 15 months ago.  

Osama bin Laden, I believe is still alive and his head is still on his shoulders. 

My daughter is still not in law school. Now that she has become older, she can be distracted with all the adult things that derail us all.  

That is no picnic to ponder.

Finally, there is the thought of knowing the family of an old friend will open presents he did not get a chance to buy.

While I do not drink myself to sleep every night, or lose a lot of winks over the death of Jason Mizell, when I am awake I think about him often. 

I wonder how his family is making it through this very difficult time without him. I also wonder where his killer is and why he is still alive or free. 

I hope that if something happens to me in front of witnesses, on a busy street and a block from a police station house, my family will have someone to vent their rage against by the time the two-month mark rolls around.

I will not write of hope, happy times, peace on earth, good will towards men and all those other clichés this year. 

I could, if I knew that Jam Master Jay’s killer, alleged or not, was behind bars, awaiting a trial. 

But since that is not the case, there will be a case for the usual holiday diatribe.

 It may seem ridiculous to not do what we find so traditional and healing. 

With so much other terrible stuff going on in the world you might say ‘Hey man, it’s not that bad for you considering all the other crazy things that threaten the planet.’ 

You would be right to say that Jason wasn’t a politician, a food expert, a scientist, an environmentalist or a philosopher. 

He did not make all the world’s problems his life’s work.

If you believe the papers, he didn’t even vote to use his power of one to affect policy of any kind.

I would argue that what he did do during his life, was make people believe one very important fact that could allow them to rise to become the problem-solvers.

He showed the young people of our community that one can rise above their environment to become a person of greatness. 

He showed them that one can become more than what people say they will be, and that once there, you can reach back and help others achieve the same things.

Any journey begins with the belief that one can make the trip. 

Jason gave many people that belief through what he did. 

Find the killer of one person of Jason’s stature and maybe people will believe that you can bring them justice if they were to meet a similar fate.

I know it’s not a very cheery, warm or fuzzy message. 

But life can seem dark even at the brightest times.