This is an opinion column.

I spent the long Thanksgiving weekend assessing what I believe.

That three helpings of dressing is over dressing, maybe. That a bag of pecans (thanks neighbor) is a way better gift than frankincense or myrrh.

I’m not much of a myrrh man.

But my assessment went farther than that.

I write opinions for public consumption, so people often tell me when they think I’m wrong, or misled, or deranged, or biased, or simply dumber than the pile of dirt they plow over the stinky stuff at the landfill.

It goes with the territory. I get that. But if I write that up is up and down is down a few folks will invariably tell me I’ve gone completely sideways.

I have to listen, if only to make sure in my own mind that they ain’t right, that I am seeing clearly. From time to time I have to take stock of what drives me. Then I have to put it all down in words to give me something to have and to hold.

This is what I believe at the end of 2023.

I believe all people make mistakes. I believe most make terrible mistakes at some point in their lives, and the consequence of those blunders is often determined by luck and attitude and the quality of their support systems.

I believe most people should be defined less by their worst mistakes than how they grow from them. I believe vengeance is overrated, and mercy is cleansing. A short memory can be a blessing.

I believe being polite pays off. And that it takes more strength than it seems.

I’m pretty sure learning to ignore insults or barbs – understanding that you control only you – is the key to happiness. You put your life in the hands of those who would do you harm when you let them drive you to distraction, or depression.

I believe – this is a line from a Matthew Stover novel, and I find no better way to say it – that we are “the sum of our scars.” I believe failures are as important as victories in making us who we are. So I believe in regret only for things that hurt somebody else.

I believe laughter is more important in tragedy than comedy. It helps us through funerals and hard times and hard truths. The most dangerous thing we have to lose is our sense of humor. It is our armor against the inevitable. Or the unthinkable.

That being said, I believe puns to be the highest form of humor. As opposed to, say, Cheech and Chong.

I believe religion is a deeply personal thing. Belief is beautiful, but imposing it on others is presumptuous, dangerous, deadly, and I daresay unAmerican. I believe worshiping a creator and callously wrecking the creation simply must be heresy in any faith.

I believe greed is the biggest threat to mankind, and to the planet. It was William Blake who wrote “You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.”

I believe enough is enough, America.

I believe nobody can stay completely rational with $100 billion to spend. And I believe putting hope for mankind in the hands of tech billionaires is dumb.

I believe a liberal arts education is undervalued, and learning to think is more important than learning specific skills. I believe in learning from the past. I believe in embracing change.

I believe in hope for the future. I believe in questions and skepticism.

I believe in friendship and compassion and the ability to disagree without anger. I believe in saying it, over and over again, until it is true.

John Archibald is a two-time Pulitzer winner at AL.com.