>> KEVIN: MY DAD USED TO SAY WE SPEND THE FIRST HALF OF OUR LIVES RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME AND THE SECOND HALF TRYING TO GET BACK.

I REMEMBER ONE YEAR I WAS IN THAILAND OVER THE HOLIDAYS DIRECTING A PLAY WITH A GROUP OF KIDS WITH DISABILITIES.

WE DECIDED TO DO "A CHRISTMAS CAROL."

I HAD SORT OF FORGOT THAT I WAS IN A BUDDHIST COMMUNITY.

SO I ASKED IF THEY UNDERSTOOD CHRISTMAS, AND SOMEONE SAID "YES, OF COURSE.

IT'S WHERE YOU LIGHT A TREE ON FIRE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM AND EAT CANDY OUT OF OLD SOCKS."

I SAID GOOD ENOUGH.

BESIDES, THEY SAID THIS STORY IS REALLY ABOUT KARMA.

A MAN TRYING TO FIND HIS WAY HOME.

I LIKE THAT INTERPRETATION.

IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I TELL MY EX-CATHOLIC FRIENDS, "DON'T THROW THE BATHWATER OUT WITH THE BABY."

THERE'S STILL SOME GOOD STUFF IN THERE.

I ALSO LEARNED IN THAILAND THEY LOVE THEIR GHOSTS.

THERE ARE SMALL SHRINES IN FRONT OF MOST HOUSES FOR ANCESTORS.

ALL KINDS OF LIMINAL CREATURES AND HORRIBLE HAUNTS.

ONE ACTUALLY WEARS HER ENTRAILS ON THE OUTSIDE LIKE A NECKLACE.

COOL, RIGHT?

CHRISTMAS-Y.

SO WE REPLACED DICKENS' GHOSTS WITH THEIR SPECTERS AND CALLED THE SHOW "SONG OF SON KRON."

SON KRON IS THEIR BIGGEST ANNUAL HOLIDAY.

ITS STORY GOES BACK TO BUDDHA AND A TIME OF UNFETTERED GREED AND CRUELTY SAVED BY THE SPIRIT OF COMPASSION.

AND IT WORKED.

THE SHOW WAS A HIT.

ONE NIGHT I WAS SITTING AROUND A FIRE, TALKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR TO AN OLD MAN.

HE SAID HE HAD ENJOYED THE SHOW AND WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE TALENT OF THE KIDS.

THEN HE TURNED TO ME AND SAID, "IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME."

I SAID, "THANK YOU, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE."

HE SAID, "YES, YOU HAVE, LONG AGO, AFTER THE GREAT FLOOD.

YOU TOOK THE BOAT, AND WE KEPT THE DRUM, AND NOW THEY ARE TOGETHER AGAIN.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HOME."

AND SUDDENLY, I DID FEEL HOME.

JOHN O'DONOGHUE, THE IRISH MONK, SAID THAT BEAUTY IS A HOMECOMING.

MY WISH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IS THAT YOU FIND THE BEAUTY OF A WELCOME HOME.