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I wish I could believe in this sort of thing, but at best, it happens about a thousand times too little to make much of a dent. My immediate family has seen nothing but pain for several years now, with more and more strikes taken against us every year, and not one single human being has seen fit to offer us even a smile, much less any act of kindness. There will be no Christmas here tomorrow, as there hasn't been for three years now.

At this point, I consider most of these stories to be apocryphal.

God Bless, a Merry Christmas. I've been thru days I thought were hopeless, and know how hard it can be to see thru the fog when in the middle of it.

There will be a better day. Remember, when you you love your family, there is beauty there, and all other good comes from that.

I've been thru days I thought were hopeless, and know how hard it can be to see thru the fog when in the middle of it. There will be a better day. . . .

I remember being told, "this too shall pass" during numerous of my hard times, little that I wish to remember, more that I wish to repeat, none that I would wish on my worst enemy. But God builds in us strength during those hard times, and character. And appreciation. How I appreciate even little things, little kindnesses. And it's made me less critical and judgmental of others. I believe there's more in me that I am yet to become aware of--God's timing for the future, I guess. Just remember, Psalm 23, God is with you and walks ahead of you, making sure there's nothing in your way that he hasn't walked through, first, Himself. He is always there. Merry Christmas to you both and to all.

"I wish I could believe in this sort of thing, but at best, it happens about a thousand times too little to make much of a dent. My immediate family has seen nothing but pain for several years now, with more and more strikes taken against us every year, and not one single human being has seen fit to offer us even a smile, much less any act of kindness. There will be no Christmas here tomorrow, as there hasn't been for three years now."

I can commiserate with you. My body is decomposing around me, my days are filled with pain and exhaustion, and my nights are spent in short bursts of sleep, which end after a few hours when the painkillers wear off. Because of my health, my finances are shot. "The Big Day" means nothing to me, because I believe people should live their faith daily, rather than one day a year. My wife thinks I'm The Grinch, c'est la vie.

No matter what others do to you, or don't do for you, you've still got your conscience. Abide by it, and you'll have a measure of peace. You be who you know you should be, and forget about the others.