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Letter from the Editor Dear Reader, Last Christmas we were full of hope. Vaccines were on the horizon and we were dreaming of life returning to normal.
Fast forward a year. The omicron variant is upon us, events again are being canceled, even family get-togethers carry a risk. For some, it might feel a little hopeless.
As I reflect on that, it takes me back to Christmas 1975, when my 15-year-old self was feeling pretty down. I’ll set the scene for you:
My parents’ restaurant had burned to the ground that summer. It had been a devastating loss for our family. We had been getting by for months, but as Christmas came around my parents were still dealing with the insurance company. In other words, no income.
There were some signs of the season: We had put up and decorated a tree. We made plans to be with extended family. But those previous months were full of sacrifices, and I remember an underlying tension and uncertainty to everyday life.
One night, as Christmas drew near, we finished dinner and our parents gathered me, my older sister and my younger brother in the living room. They had us sit on the floor together in front of the fireplace. For my sister and I, who were teenagers, she poured a small amount of wine into small, cut-glass goblets.
My mom is not exactly one to speak in comforting words, but she did her best that December.
“We’re in tough times this year; you know that,” she started “We would like to give you the Christmas you are used to, but that won’t be possible this year. We appreciate your sacrifices so we can get through it. And we will get through this, together.”
We clinked glasses and I drank my first glass of wine, ever. It tasted sour, bitter. I don’t remember what gifts I received that year, but they were meager. Still, there was something and we were together.
The insurance company eventually paid the claim. My parents built another business. Life resumed, with its ups and downs for all these decades.
That Christmas wasn’t the best I ever experienced, but it certainly is the most memorable. My family didn’t have much, but we had one another, and we got through those hard times.
Perhaps there are cracks in your family fabric from the past two years of sacrifice, loss, differences. Perhaps you cannot be where you’d like, see who you miss the most. Maybe the wine doesn’t taste as sweet as it has in the past.
But among the sacrifices, there are always blessings. We will get through.
Editor's note: I value your feedback to my columns, story tips and your suggestions on how to improve our coverage. Let me know how MLive helps you, and how we can do better. Please feel free to reach out by emailing me at editor@mlive.com.
John Hiner Executive Editor Vice President of Content Mlive Media Group
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