True wealth. (Publisher's Page).

As we make holiday preparations in the midst of the ongoing war on terrorism, the ideal of peace on earth and good will toward men may seem hopelessly out of reach. Thousands of families will have empty places at the table and unclaimed gifts under the Christmas tree, as we all cope with the loss and continue mourning the thousands of dead and missing victims of the attack on America. Yet our hope and salvation lies in the most poignant lesson of the September 11 tragedy: Tomorrow is not promised. We must not take it--or the people in our lives--for granted.

The wealth represented by the World Trade Center pales in comparison to our true wealth: the people with whom we share our day-to-day lives. In the wake of the September 11 tragedy, many Americans can testify to a renewed appreciation of the friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers they so often take for granted. We share the pain of those who lost loved ones in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on that fateful day, and know that, but for the grace of God, it could have easily been us.

For me, that appreciation extends to the readers and subscribers of BLACK ENTERPRISE, many of whom were personally touched by our most recent date of infamy. That's why over the years I try to respond to every letter, fax, or e-mail sent to me. I don't succeed in answering them as quickly as I like but you--the reader--are always uppermost on my mind. I recognize that our being responsive to one another is critically important, especially in these difficult times.

So how do we reconcile the pain of loss and the shadow of war against the joyous, loving tradition of the holiday season? The most lasting gift we can offer in remembrance of the people who lost, and those who sacrificed, their lives on September 11 is for those of us who remain behind to be good to one another. Take time to hug, to talk, and to listen to a child each day, in remembrance of the infants and children who were lost on those hijacked flights. Be supportive of our schools, in recognition of the teachers and students who were among the victims of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. Let your family know that you love and appreciate them, knowing that there are others who would give everything they own just to be able to say those words to their wives, husbands, sons, daughters, or siblings just one last time.

Let our celebration of the holiday serve as a reminder that our true wealth lies with our appreciation of one another and devotion to making time each and every day to give, share, comfort, strengthen, support, and uplift one another. That has been, and always will be, the mission of our magazine and our companies. We at Earl G. Graves Ltd., BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine, and B.E. Unlimited wish you and yours a joyous Christmas and a happy, blessed New Year.