A child is born! There is an optimistic ring to that powerful proclamation--even under the worst of circumstances. I have been told that in Europe during World War II families sought refuge from shelling in unfilled open graves in cemeteries. In these graves, women gave birth. As awful as life seemed at the time, when word was passed around the graveyards that "a child is born!" hope was mended for a moment in the hearts of those who heard. In the Jewish tradition, any child might be the Messiah, even if born in a graveyard. "You never can tell . . ." we say, and "Who knows what might happen because of this child?" In every tradition, a child is born of the seed of hope.