This Christmas Day, I did not want to read any of the mostly terrible news happening in this country and the world, but I was only too happy to read Andrea Ayvazian’s Dec. 21 column “A blessing while weeding a cemetery in the desert.” Such a moving and hopeful story. It brought tears to my eyes.

When I was part of a campaign in 1991, organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists, to cut carbon emissions to limit global warming, (yes, we were working on this 25 years ago) Andrea volunteered to help; together we put together a solar powered concert. This was typical of Andrea. She is a minister who practices what she preaches — in spades.

Thank you, Gazette editors, for featuring Andrea Ayvazian as a regular columnist. She is a true light in the darkness. We need more writers, teachers, leaders, and influencers like her.

David Gottsegen, MD

Belchertown