My Christmas Revelation: An Honest Look at Those Less Fortunate

If years of watching awful Christmas TV specials has taught me anything, it’s be thankful for what you have. Be thankful for your life and friends. Strive to be a better person so some angel can get her wings. These hackneyed messages are so cliché this time of year that they are easy to ignore. But recently, I was figuratively hit smack dab in the head with what being thankful really means.

I have a freelance gig writing articles for my local paper. The paper has something called the Empty Stocking Fund which gives money and gifts to those less-fortunate. My assignment is to write about some of the recipients and how they got into the position they are in. To help me write their stories, I’m given their applications, which gives a small history of what each person or family is going through.

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