This is journal number 200. There’s cake in the conference room.

I guess 200 feels like some sort of milestone… but I’m not sure why. When I started these weekly musings in 2002, I had never heard of the non-word “blog.” I don’t think any of us had.

Because I’m kind of an arrogant nincompoop I still refuse to call this a “blog.” And I’m sure you’ve noticed it’s not a true “Travel Journal.” It’s more about the distance I travel inwardly, than the miles I log on the road. I figure the road ahead eventually ends. The other road will never run out of stories.

Number 200 will be a short and sweet marriage of the inward and outward road.

I met a woman a few months back who shouldn’t exist. At least not as she is. She should be bitter and angry and filled with hate… towards white people.

Dori Sanders is the granddaughter of a slave. She remembers the night the Ku Klux Klan burned a cross in her yard. It was a long time ago, but that’s not something you forget. I wonder what Jesus would say to the people igniting that flame? What if he just walked up to these men as they doused a cross with gasoline and said, “Wow. I came down to this filthy planet in attempt to build a spiritual bridge between God and man and you’re lighting that bridge on fire?”

If you believe the red words in my Bible, Jesus said he came here for all people. He said no one is better than anyone else. That humble, peacemakers, those with broken, soft hearts would win in the end. Sounds like a pretty nice guy to me. Do I pass the offering plate now?

How much anger and hate does it take to build a cross and light it on fire in attempt to intimidate others? A cross?

How much heart does it take to forgive that?

Dori Sanders was born into a world where she was judged by the color of her skin, not the content of her character. I make this offer to you: look into Dori’s heart and you won’t see black or white. You’ll see it is filled with red letters.

And you’ll wish you were more like her. I do.

Dori Sanders’ story airs on WCNC, Wednesday night, December 27 at 8 PM on Carolina Traveler. Give it a look.

Today is December 26. In the Christian world, yesterday was about a new beginning. True that the date is a bit arbitrary because there’s no way to say exactly what day Jesus was born, but it’s not about the day. It’s about the “why.”

I’m no expert on the religions of the world. But I hope they all lead to the same “why”… forgiveness, hope and peace. Dori Sanders’ road through life was very different than mine. She got it right.

If I get it right I’ll meet her at the “why” in the road.

Merry Christmas,

Mike Redding