Fantasies and Fishballs and the Problems of the World

   It was the world's first convention of all people, the first time every living person could attend a single meeting all together at once.
   The Internet makes everything possible.
   At any rate, I should tell you what they were meeting for. It was New Year's Eve, and, yes, they were there to come up with New Year's resolutions.
   Wouldn't this be a wonderful thing? And, what do you suppose some of the suggestions might be, if there could be such a fanciful meeting?
   No more carbon emissions? Yes, that was discussed, panned by some and favored by others.
   No more mass shootings? Everyone said, "Yes," to that.
   No more abortions? Roundly opposed by some, and strongly favored by others.
   And, so it went. All the world's issues were discussed. War was outlawed. Giving to the poor, enthroned.
   Towards the end of the convention, a voice from far back in the crowd cried out, "We can't do all these things! We can't just make resolutions and expect them to work! We can't just speak and it is done. It's not that easy."
   There was silence -- which means the whole world was silent.
   "Yes, if we could, we would do these things. But, we can't," said the man. "They are fantasies and fishballs."
   "What's a fishball?" someone asked.
   "Well," the man answered. "I guess I'm just trying to say some things don't exist."
   The world took a collective sigh. "Wishful thinking on our part," some said.
   The man -- his name was Jedediah Apperstoneman -- held both hands out, palms down, as if the quiet the masses. "Tell you what, though. It's good of you to come up with all these ideas. It's neat you want to solve all the world's problems. It's wonderful to seek good."
   He paused, and the world paused with him. "Didn't you guys just celebrate Christmas?" he asked.
   "Yes," came a reply in unison.
   "Well, there's your answer," the man replied. "The day is undoubtedly going to come when most every problem you have will be answered. People will live in peace. As soon as the hearts of the world turn to the maker of the world -- as soon as they follow him -- problems will fade away even as one year fades away on New Year's Day. Peace will be born. Happiness and contentment and goodwill will be born. The answers to the world's problems came in the form of a wee baby born all those many years ago.
   "Merry Christmas to all and to all a wonderful New Year," he said, turning and walking out of the meeting.
   And, with that, the meeting was adjourned. But the people all promised to meet again the following year. But, that next year, while they would continue to try to solve the world's problems, they would also look forward to that day when a king would come to rule over them, bringing peace, ruling in truth and righteousness, and taking away the sins and flaws of the world.
   Jedediah Apperstoneman was now way down the path walking away, but he stopped, turned, and yelled back at the crowd, as if they could still hear him. "We may not know whether every problem will be taken away, every flaw,"he yelled. "We may not know all the specifics about what it will be like after the Second Coming. But, we know it will be a much better day.
   "Even as one year passes to the next, bringing the hope of a better day, so this age will pass to the Millennium, which will surely be a better day. That New Year's Day will be the happiest of all."