Dear Editor,

Problem solving lacks in our society more and more each year, from domestic households to the highest levels of our democracy. Beginning with family breakdown, it is easier to look away than getting involved when confronting mental illness, drugs, or alcohol addiction to assess the need for change. State and national elected officials on both sides dazzle with hope and solutions. However, any actual tangible problem solving remains lost. Endless clichés “comprehensive,” “at the end of the day,” “need for serious conversation”, is not action and we the people expect and deserve better. Gun violence and surging substance abuse can be linked to a lack of morality in a hyper-secular society; maybe because evil is on the rise. Course correcting begins early, teaching and parenting between good and evil and why evil must be fully rejected. Problems only get worse without solving them, they’re complicated, demanding, requiring sound judgement, mental agility, and critical thinking which is the difficult path that many choose to look the other way. The month of December is the linchpin for bringing our families and community together, whether to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or simply celebrating the holidays. I remain optimistic for 2023 and wish you a joyous holiday season.

Eric Beauregard
Mattapoisett