Award Winning Mystery Novelist Digger Cartwright’s Christmas Message

Posted by diggercartwright on January 27, 2016

Orlando, FL December 25, 2015—The office of award-winning mystery novelist Digger Cartwright has released Mr. Cartwright’s Christmas message delivered on Christmas Day at the Thinking Outside the Boxe Symposium and Champagne Summit in Orlando.

The transcript of Mr. Cartwright’s speech follows:

Thank you all, Merry Christmas and God bless everyone. This is always a wonderful event, and I’m very honored to be here once again. To those of you have been here in prior years and heard me speak, thank you for coming back again. I think you’ll find my message is somewhat similar to before, but I feel that it is an important message nonetheless. To those first timers, welcome, and I hope you find something to take away from this event.

Christmas is a special time of year, but unfortunately the spirit of Christmas and the message of Christmas are often lost in the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and holiday party-going mixed with everyday life. You’ll notice that I said ‘holiday’ shopping. As we know, the liberal media continues to try to force the secularization of Christmas upon the American people by slowly and systematically dismantling Christmas. ‘Merry Christmas’ and the Christmas tree are stricken from some places in favor of holiday trees and holiday wishes. References to the meaning of Christmas are fewer and fewer and the Christmas message is blurred. This has been a trend for the last decade and continues at an alarming pace. The effort to make an all encompassing, general ‘holiday’ at the expense of Christmas marginalizes the Christian faith and should be seen as an affront to the Christian values upon which this nation was founded.

I celebrate Christmas, yet I know many people who don’t. Some celebrate Hanukkah, some celebrate Kwanzaa, and some don’t celebrate at all. I don’t care what people celebrate. I’ll wish just about anyone a Merry Christmas. If they don’t like that, they can forget that I offered them good tidings. I’d be happy to receive good Hanukkah or Kwanzaa wishes. I’d be flattered that someone thought enough of me to offer me those good tidings. If people don’t like my Christmas wishes, they can reject them but they don’t have the right to impose their will upon me and millions of other Christians by pressuring us to eliminate the term ‘Merry Christmas’ in exchange for emasculated, politically correct jargon. So, let me say it once again, Merry Christmas!

We live in a time of conflict, materialism, and self absorption. There is conflict among nations, conflict between religions and civilizations (whether anyone is willing to admit it or not), conflict between races, conflict between those who don’t respect the rule of law and those who wish to preserve it, conflict between those who have and those who don’t, conflict between political parties, and conflict within ourselves. Not all conflict is armed conflict or violent conflict. Much of the conflict is tension or restlessness or aggressiveness. Without doubt, this conflict can lead to unrest, anger, resentment, and ultimately violence.

But conflict among nations, religions, or ideologies is a problem whose resolution is for another day and another time. As individuals we cannot singlehandedly solve these conflicts. It is rather for us to work to find peace within ourselves and with those around us. Sometimes neither can be accomplished easily. As individuals we must work hard to quell the conflict within ourselves which often leads to conflict with others. We must seek to understand the nature of that conflict and find ways to overcome it. Only if we are at peace with ourselves can we be at peace with others. Too often we become consumed by internal strife and external drama which leads to problems in our everyday life and damages relationships with those around us.

Those with internal conflict are like crippled ships drifting aimlessly in the vast ocean. They are lost. They seek direction and guidance and when they can find neither they become frustrated, bitter, and angry. They channel and vent these powerful emotions towards others. There is an emptiness inside them that they attempt to fill by denigrating others. They try to feel better about themselves by hurting others—sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally. They fuel the fires of their own internal conflict by drawing others into their personal quagmires of emptiness, anger, and despair. They are unhappy people and they hope to make others around them unhappy as well.

We live in a time of materialism. The accumulation of material things serves as a status statement but also seeks to quench the thirst of those who have a void in life which they are seeking to fill. They believe that this void and the underlying unhappiness that they experience can be filled with material goods. They believe that they will be happy when they get the new cell phone or the new car or the new TV. But the fulfillment they seek from material goods is an illusion. They are living a lie and only fooling themselves. When the satisfaction of the new phone quickly wears off, they are faced with the same emptiness that they had before, and they seek a new object to desire. And thus the cycle never ends.

Retailers prey upon the wants and desires of those who seek material goods as solace for a troubled soul. Those who are weak and torn with conflict and strife are ripe prey and willingly succumb to marketing efforts. Yet many of these individuals also bemoan the loudest the evils of corporations. All the while they fuel the fires with each successive purchase they make. In the end, the want of more and more material goods fails to fill the void in their lives or end the internal or external conflict.

The satisfaction of materialism is ephemeral. Individuals consumed with conflict and attempting to assuage those feelings with materialism would be better served to give rather than receive. Helping others does more to calm the troubled soul than personal consumption. The satisfaction of knowing that you’ve made a difference in the lives of others lasts long beyond the satisfaction of acquiring the material good. Charity makes tremendous strides in soothing a troubled soul.

We live in a world where there are millions of people and animals in need. In our own nation, the greatest and most prosperous nation on earth, we have children and seniors who go to bed hungry at night and who live without secure food supplies. In the most prosperous nation on earth, we have individuals and families who are homeless or lack the basic necessities. We have homeless, orphaned, or abandoned animals living in shelters waiting to find a forever home. We have seniors living at home or in facilities who have been forgotten. All the while, many of us go about our daily lives with little consideration of those less fortunate or those in need. We become too wrapped up in our own routines or our own lives to consider others in need or how we can make a difference.

Charity not only makes a difference in the lives of those in need but also makes a difference in the lives of those who give whether they suffer from internal or external conflict or not. Giving is something each of us should strive to do no matter how great or how small our capacity to give. As many of you know, I’ve never been enthusiastic about financial contributions. Money given to a charity is often used for salaries or operating expenses. The direct impact is not seen or felt, and it is altogether too easy to write a check to a charity and move on. As you also know, I prefer to give what can be most useful. Each blanket given to the homeless shelter, each can of food donated to the food bank, each bag of dog or cat food given to the animal shelter, and each book, puzzle, or toiletry given to those in nursing homes makes a direct difference in the life of the recipient. We should each give to our own capacity. Those of us who have been blessed with plenty should give as much as we can. Many who are working and living paycheck to paycheck say they don’t have the discretionary income to be able to give. I would point out that the most valuable thing you can give anyone is your time. To those who want to give but don’t have the financial capacity to do you, volunteering at a shelter or home is a gift that is of immeasurable value to the recipients.

It truly is better to give than to receive. Charity goes a long way for both the giver and the recipient, and the satisfaction from charity is more meaningful than the satisfaction from materialism and self satisfaction.

And finally, we live in a world where so many people, particularly the young people, are self absorbed. They feel that the world revolves around them and that everyone should bow to their every whim. They are spoiled and self centered. They often lack basic social skills such as manners; they don’t say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ as they think this is unnecessary since they deserve something or they’re entitled to it. They care only about themselves and what satisfies them. They have no concern for the feelings or needs of others. They crave attention and adulation. This is their mechanism for dealing with the void within. They need to feel important and admired to be complete. They mistakenly believe this quells the strife within, but it only serves to create a false sense of security. When they are taken outside their circle, their illusions of a self centric universe are shattered. They become angry and hateful. They seek to hurt and manipulate others in an effort to make themselves the center of attention again.

They live a sad and pathetic existence. They know nothing of sacrifice as they expect others to sacrifice for them. They know nothing of giving as they only take. They know nothing of being a complete and wholesome individual and a functioning member of society. They think only of themselves and what makes them happy. They think nothing of others. Conflict and drama are their lives. They have an insatiable internal conflict and they revel on external conflict. They are empty human beings. They know nothing of charity unless they are on the receiving end. They know nothing of peace as they have never truly experienced it before. They know nothing of goodwill. These people set the world back; they don’t move it forward in any positive manner.

Peace and goodwill towards men are at the root of the meaning of Christmas, yet our society is getting away from this simple message that transcends the bounds of any religion. By striving for peace within ourselves and amongst friends and family, we make the world a better place. This can only be accomplished willingly and with great effort but it is a cause greater than any one individual and the effects are far reaching. While I’m not a counselor on these matters, the solution seems pretty simple. Lead a good life. Be honest with yourself and with others. Treat others with respect and decency. Be humble and be thankful. Give rather than receive. Practice patience and tolerance but don’t blindly acquiesce. Be strong but kind. Make the most of every day that you have. Make the most of time with family and friends. Try to do something every day to make the world a better place—smile, laugh, listen, share. Be good to one another. Keep the spirit and message of Christmas burning inside you each and every day of the year. With that, we can make our lives, the lives of those around us, and the world a better place.

Thank you again. God bless, and Merry Christmas.

About Mr. Cartwright—Digger Cartwright is the award-winning author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller, The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West, and Conversations on the Bench, an inspirational/motivational novel. His books are available in hardback, paperback, and e-book format through his website, www.DiggerCartwright.com, on-line booksellers and bookstores. The House of Dark Shadows, The Maynwarings, and Conversations on the Bench all won first place in various categories in the 2015 Regional Excellence Book Awards. The House of Dark Shadows and Conversations on the Bench both won silver medals in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.

Mr. Cartwright has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe.

Mr. Cartwright is an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs.

He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.

Press Contact:

Executive Assistant to Mr. Cartwright

Website: http://www.DiggerCartwright.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiggerCartwright

Twitter: @mysterydigger

Blog: www.MysteryDigger.com

Daily News Briefing: www.MysteryWriterNews.com

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Christmas Time in Disney Picture set 1

Posted by diggercartwright on January 17, 2015

Christmas wish list: From Digger Cartwright

Posted by diggercartwright on December 23, 2014

I was asked today what I wanted for Christmas. It is rare that I exchange gifts for Christmas. What do you buy someone who has everything they want or who gets what they want throughout the year? As a child the prospect of waking up and finding that special toy you’ve been looking forward to under the Christmas tree is very exciting; you’re full of anticipation. As an adult, the gift exchange seems to lose its luster. I’ve advocated with friends and family to give to the charity of one another’s choice in lieu of a gift exchange. Christmas is the season for giving and showing goodwill. What better way to accomplish that than by giving to charitable causes, particularly charities dedicated to helping those in need?

For me the joy now is making a difference in the life of one in need rather than receiving a gift. I believe that if the money is going to be spent over the holidays (and people love to spend over the holidays) it is put to better use for charitable causes. My preference is to find charitable causes and provide them with supplies that can be used as opposed to strictly cash contributions which may or may not directly benefit those in need. I would encourage you this Christmas season to seize the opportunity to donate to charity and to make a difference in the life of one in need. And this helps to make the world a better place.

Since the question was posed to me, I thought I would take an opportunity to consider some of the things I want for Christmas.

I want loving homes and warm beds for all the orphaned animals in shelters who are just waiting to find their furever homes and their family. They are lost, scared, and abandoned, living in cold cages. These animals can offer you much love and affection and can make such a difference in your life. Give one of them a chance this Christmas.

I want an end to animal cruelty. Those willing to harm innocent, helpless animals are vile individuals who are no better than those willing to harm innocent children. Animals are not here to be abused or harmed simply because they’re animals. They deserve to be loved and respected. Those engaged in animal cruelty should be prosecuted in the same manner as child abusers and molesters.

I want an end of to the senseless euthanizing of stray and orphaned animals. Why should these animals be put down simply because they haven’t found a furever home in a certain amount of time? We need to put an end to the death row in animal shelters. We’ll keep violent murderers and rapists serving life sentences in prison alive at a tremendous cost to the taxpayers (upwards of $50,000 per year) along with lifers for other non-violent crimes. Yet, we’re unable to keep orphaned and abandoned animals alive. We’re quick to give them a death sentence but we won’t execute the violent prisoners serving life sentences. Who can contribute more and make a difference in others’ lives—the shelter pet or the murderer? LET’S END THE DEATH ROW IN ANIMAL SHELTERS!

I want more respect for indie authors. There is no doubt that indie authors are looked down upon by the mainstream publishing houses and critics. We’re seen as inferior. We’re seen as unworthy. We’re seen as amateurs. We’re not taken seriously. As a result, the opportunity for our works to be published by mainstream publishing houses is limited. To be sure, there are a lot of indie authors who aren’t really serious about writing. They throw together an e-book hastily and without true dedication to the art of writing; they give all indie authors a bad name. But, there are many indie authors who take the art of writing very seriously. We are the ones who are dedicated to our work. These indie authors produce a wide variety of works—some of which are marginal, some of which are good, some of which are very good, and some of which are excellent (the diamonds in the rough). Being an indie author is difficult; most of us write because we love the art. We dedicate ourselves to our work and spend countless hours writing a book. We deserve to be taken seriously and shown respect.

I want more patience. I want the manuscript I’m working on done and done now, but a good manuscript isn’t written overnight or with haste. It takes time. I want things done in a timely manner, and I often get frustrated when tasks aren’t accomplished in a timely manner for whatever reason. Patience is a virtue. I need more patience.

I want Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss from WWE NXT to be the next divas on Monday Night RAW. I’m quite tired of the Bella twins and all the girls who want to be superstars on Total Divas. AJ Lee has carried the divas division for the last nearly two years. She’s a GREAT diva, but she needs some competition. The divas division needs some new personalities to spice it up. Sasha Banks and Alex Bliss are talented wrestlers and have great presence. WWE, bring them to RAW (and SmackDown) and spice up the divas division!

I want to see more people giving to charities. Christmas is the season for giving and showing goodwill. What better way to accomplish that than by giving to charitable causes, particularly charities dedicated to helping those in need? Why not let the charities benefit rather than the retailers? My favorite charitable organizations are no-kill animal shelters. For me the joy is making a difference in the life of a homeless animal in need. If the money is going to be spent over the holidays (and it will be), let’s put it to better use for charitable causes. Rather than send a check to the shelter and not know how the money will be used or if it will be used to directly benefit the animals, I like to send or deliver supplies and care packages. The bags of food and the litter, the toys, the bleach, the paper towels, and all the other supplies are going to be put to good use feeding and caring for homeless animals.

I want the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl. What can I say? The Ravens didn’t do well this year, and I’ve long been a fan of America’s Team. The Cowboys are playing well and have the potential to go all the way to the Super Bowl. I hope they can do it. They’re long overdue for a championship.

I want more focus on the meaning of Christmas and the Christmas spirit. Society has gotten too materialistic and has moved away from celebrating Christmas to celebrating materialism and consumption. In the process, they are hoping to fill a void in life left by the absence of any religious foundation. There are those who are trying to phase Christmas out and replace it with a more abstract, “Happy Holiday.” Let’s get back to some basics. Keep Christ in Christmas. Keep the spirit of kindness, giving (charitably) and goodwill alive and well. Let’s keep in mind that Christmas isn’t about gifts and the individuals. It’s about something bigger than any one of us individually. Take the Christmas message and Christmas spirit to heart and use it to make the world around you a better place.

I want all the elderly in nursing homes and their own homes who have been forgotten by friends and family or who may not have either to be remembered and to feel the spirit of Christmas. They may be in need of the basic necessities in life—food, clothing, company, etc. Remember, sometimes we take for granted the basic necessities that we have. For the old and the infirm in nursing homes, some time with others to talk and socialize may be all that it takes to make a difference. And the simple act of caring and giving can do wonders in the lives of those who feel lost, abandoned, and forgotten. Keep these people in mind this Christmas.